We should have been excused for a death; everyone in our organization was at the funeral.

Members of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Black Student Union protested the past weeks Student Association elections and a recent Senate Appropriations Committee decision on Thursday in the UWM Union.

Near the Union polling area, protestors held signs illustrating their displeasure with the current administration. The protest was to be held outside in Spaights Plaza, but heavy rainfall moved it indoors.

In a statement released by the Black Student Union (BSU), the demonstration was organized to protest the amoral and unconstitutional actions of current SA members, and that the decisions are inconsistent with Student Association bylaws and pose a threat to students right to democracy.

Following the tragic death of Dimitrius Tank Jackson, the BSU failed to turn in the necessary paperwork to be included in last weekends large-grant meeting. The deadline for the paperwork coincided with the date of the funeral for Jackson. The group argues that under the circumstances, an extension should have been granted.

We should have been excused for a death; everyone in our organization was at the funeral, said BSU Senior Vice President Angelique Sharpe.

Sharpe added that the group is filing a complaint through the University Student Court.

Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) chairman Dan Bahr sympathizes with their situation, but stands by the committees decision.

Im very sensitive to their situation, but based on the information presented, we could not grant an extension, Bahr said.

Bahr added that about two-thirds of the funding for the BSU request can still be allocated through SACs small-grant meetings.

Video of a portion of the meeting is available on YouTube, where former SAC Vice-Chair Tobin Huibregtse argues the merit of an extension with BSU members and eventually leaves the meeting.

Huibregtse resigned following the meeting and has not had any further contact with anyone from the group.

The only contact I have had with them is when they waved their signs in my face. But they wont actually sit down and talk with me, Huibregtse said.

He added that the meeting did not have quorum at the time, and that their case never should have been heard in the first place.

Im not going to pander to emotions; they didnt follow the process and they shouldnt have been on the agenda, Huibregtse said.

SA Sen. Caleb Kopczyk, who was not involved in the April 17 SAC meeting in question but also recently resigned from SAC, felt like the job often put members in a no-win situation.

People kept saying that we werent viewpoint neutral when they didnt get the funding they wanted, Kopczyk said. I just got tired of people constantly putting that kind of pressure on us.

Gabe Wahhab and Rebecca Ellenbecker were appointed at the April 22 Student Association Senate meeting to fill the two vacancies.

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