2008 Woodie Awards
Staff Appreciation Day held despite BRC appeal denial
Kate Augusto
Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: News
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The Latin American Student Organization (LASO), along with other student groups, funded and hosted a Service Staff Appreciation Day yesterday, despite the Budget Review Committee's (BRC) decision to deny funding for the event.
The BRC, a committee of the Student Government Association (SGA) that allocates the student activities fee, denied LASO's original request, first appeal and, last night, their second appeal for funding.
LASO first sought funding in December. The Service Staff Appreciation Day, which started three years ago, is meant to show thanks and support for the service staff members at Northeastern by having students serve the employees lunch.
"This is something we have been working on for many years … [the staff] make us feel at home … and they take that extra step to make us feel comfortable … they're pivotal to the university," said LASO President Luisa Peña.
The event, held in the Curry Student Center Ballroom, featured lunch for the service staff, a video of students and staff expressing thanks to the service staff, a banner with student signatures and raffles giving away 31 gift certificates to Target and Stop and Shop.
Rosa Williams, director for the Latino/a Student Cultural Center, said she thinks it's remarkable students pulled this together.
"It's a fabulous event. Here are people who sometimes become invisible … but they're there, whether or not we notice," Williams said. "They keep [this place] running and for us to [have an appreciation day] is tremendous and to have it run by students is wonderful."
Joelison Castillo, the student leader of the event, said he participates in the event for personal reasons.
"I have family who are service [workers] and I do this to appreciate my family and these workers," Castillo said.
Peña said LASO first requested funding for this program in the 2003-04 school year, but BRC denied it. In response, LASO started a petition and got 1,000 signatures, prompting BRC to change a policy, which allowed for food funding and opened funding for the next two years. This is the first year since 2003-04 that a request for funding for this program was denied.
The BRC, a committee of the Student Government Association (SGA) that allocates the student activities fee, denied LASO's original request, first appeal and, last night, their second appeal for funding.
LASO first sought funding in December. The Service Staff Appreciation Day, which started three years ago, is meant to show thanks and support for the service staff members at Northeastern by having students serve the employees lunch.
"This is something we have been working on for many years … [the staff] make us feel at home … and they take that extra step to make us feel comfortable … they're pivotal to the university," said LASO President Luisa Peña.
The event, held in the Curry Student Center Ballroom, featured lunch for the service staff, a video of students and staff expressing thanks to the service staff, a banner with student signatures and raffles giving away 31 gift certificates to Target and Stop and Shop.
Rosa Williams, director for the Latino/a Student Cultural Center, said she thinks it's remarkable students pulled this together.
"It's a fabulous event. Here are people who sometimes become invisible … but they're there, whether or not we notice," Williams said. "They keep [this place] running and for us to [have an appreciation day] is tremendous and to have it run by students is wonderful."
Joelison Castillo, the student leader of the event, said he participates in the event for personal reasons.
"I have family who are service [workers] and I do this to appreciate my family and these workers," Castillo said.
Peña said LASO first requested funding for this program in the 2003-04 school year, but BRC denied it. In response, LASO started a petition and got 1,000 signatures, prompting BRC to change a policy, which allowed for food funding and opened funding for the next two years. This is the first year since 2003-04 that a request for funding for this program was denied.
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