ASMSU finalized funding for its annual retreat this year, but the process has some members concerned with how closely representatives look at the bills they pass.
"It concerns me a lot," said Patricia Smith, Student Assembly internal vice chairperson, about funding for the retreat passing through both ASMSU assemblies without any debate on the money allocated.
"They spent more time debating fishing than debating spending $4,000 on a retreat," she said, referring to Student Assembly's meeting last Thursday, when it defeated a bill to look at changing an ordinance that bans fishing on the Red Cedar River.
Both ASMSU assemblies combined to allocate up to $5,450 for the retreat, which allows ASMSU representatives to work on team-building efforts and get acquainted with staff employees they might only see in meetings, Smith said.
She added that Academic Assembly has already spent a large portion of its budget on the Associated Michigan Universities Conference held at MSU in September. The assembly gave $2,500 from its about $30,000 budget for the conference and $1,450 on Monday for the retreat.
"I'm concerned that there was no debate on it because their budget has quickly diminished," Smith said.
About 50 ASMSU members are expected to go on the day-and-a-half trip to the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station outside Battle Creek, Smith said.
Andrew Schepers, Student Assembly chairperson, said the cost for the representative's retreat might be too expensive for how much information it could provide.
"There's a point where the retreat can be too high for what we're getting out of it," he said. "We're getting to that point, but I don't think we're there."
He said he is "concerned a little bit" with the absence of bill debate, but acknowledged that representatives might work out their questions before they come to assembly meetings.
Smith said a retreat next year will probably not be worth the cost for student taxpayers, but she will recommend ASMSU look for a retreat closer to MSU to cut costs.
"This is not something (that ASMSU) should continue to go to," she said. "It's becoming too costly."
The Residence Halls Association, another student government group, spent less than $500 on its day-long retreat to the Michigan Athletic Club, 2900 Hannah Blvd., RHA President Ernest Drake said the group's retreat accomplished its goal of acquainting new representatives to the association, even though only 15 attended.
"This was very important in realizing who you are working with and debating against," he said.
He said a day trip was sufficient for representatives.
