Challenges concerning social life and student autonomy were at the heart of Student Union President Shreeya Sinha's '09 State of the Union address last Monday night in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium, as she reflected on the past year's Union administration. Another challenge that Sinha spoke about was the change in the allocation process of the Student Activities Fee. She said this conflicted with "our ability to self govern." The Finance Board no longer allocates 17 percent of the SAF to Student Events. Instead, the money now goes directly to the Department of Student Activities, which in turn gives it to Student Events.

"Our rights as students and the Union's democratic process were greatly violated by a decision made by Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy," Sinha said.

Eddy, who attended the speech, told the Justice in January that the Union's considerable rollover funds was one reason to change the allocation process. In her speech, Sinha said that $174,000 in rollover has accumulated over the past six years.

"I wish that her view of the rollover would have been a little more comprehensive," Eddy said. "She was off by hundreds of thousands. That's concerning."

Eddy also said she has been asking Union officials for a proposal since September, but that she has not received anything. "The SAF is for all students," she said. "We should make a comprehensive plan on how we use it."

Sinha, however, said that with change, "We traded a system of funding based on proportional need to one based on an arbitrary percentage."

Last December, in response to Eddy's decision, the Union organized a demonstration outside of the Bernstein-Marcus administration complex. Sinha, in an interview after her speech, described the demonstration as the high point of her presidency.

Sinha announced the Union's plan to propose a cap on the SAF for a year. In that time, the Union could solve its rollover problem, she said. "To increase would just be over taxing the student body," she said. Clubs will be able to apply for parts of the rollover funds to organize large scale events, Sinha said.

"The Union is not just a body that talks," she said, emphasizing the need to better the relationship between the Union and the student body. "We have successfully brought us one step closer to what the ideal relationship with the student body should be."

Former Union President Alison Schwartzbaum '08, who called Sinha's speech "superb," said that it's hard to communicate all the work a president has done over the course of a year in one speech about a month before going out of office. She said that while the Union works hard all year, "It's sad for me, in a way, and really frustrating to see that the Union has such a hard time getting that message out."

Part of last December's protest, Sinha said, was about social life on campus. Sinha said that one of the problems currently facing campus social life is the lack of large venues to hold events.

Cindy Kaplan '08, Student Union director of social affairs during the 2006 to 2007 academic year, said she feels that social life has improved on campus. "Student culture has changed," she said. "People do attend events and there is more club collaboration."

Sinha also noted the low point of her administration. "My least favorite part of the year was seeing unfactual, biased and very low things written about me," she said. Former Union Secretary Michael Goldman '08, wrote several columns in the Brandeis Hoot in which he accused the Union's Executive Board of having too much power.

Union Advocate Brian Paternostro '08, before the speech, said: "This speech is not going to shy away from what we had to deal with."

Director of Union Affairs Jason Gray '10, confirmed this afterwards. "What happened, happened, and ignoring it is not beneficial," he said.

"The passion that [Sinha] embodies was displayed perfectly," Gray said. He too emphasized the need to fight for student autonomy. "It's a teachable moment not to take for granted what we have," Gray said.

Sinha ended her speech with some presidential advice. "To the future student leaders: speak from your heart, and lead with your mind.