Student government president vetoes funding for high-heeled walkathon event

Student Government Association president Benny Dorris vetoed a funding proposal for a Greek Week walk-a-thon after the SGA meeting on Feb. 24.

The Greek Week Steering Committee submitted the request for $3,023 in order to purchase special men's high-heels for the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event to be held in April. The senate originally approved the proposal after extensive debate in a 16-15 vote with two abstaining.

Vetoes are rare in SGA proceedings. Dorris remembers only one during his years of involvement in SGA.

"A part of why I felt it was necessary to veto it is that there were a lot of questions that needed to be addressed," Dorris said.

Greek Week Steering Committee president Ben White described the event as an international men's march to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence, where participants are given the opportunity to literally walk a mile in ladies' footwear. Similar events have been held nationwide and White's would run from Kent Library through downtown Cape Girardeau.

"It's a unique way to raise awareness about sexual assault against women," event planner Lydia Ness said during the meeting. Members of the senate seemed to support the concept in general but expressed a variety of concerns about the proposal.

Apparently man-sized pumps aren't cheap. The original application states that $3,500 would buy only 30 pairs of shoes. This original application was modified during the Funding Board's vetting process since SGA bylaws allow for no more than 10% of the total yearly budget to be allocated to a single event. Multiple senators advised the group to pursue cheaper options.

"The main senate concern is the cost of the shoes and how to know how many shoes to order and in what sizes," Dorris said.

The submitted budget did not specify what sizes -- or colors -- of high-heels the organization intends to purchase. Dorris also said that it's important that the event benefit the entire campus since SGA funds are drawn from the student body as a whole.

The Greek Week Steering Committee's appeal will be reconsidered during the next SGA meeting. White said that the group has included a more detailed breakdown of pricing as well as a more structured plan to involve non-Greek members of the community in the revised proposal.

Some members of the senate fear that the novelty of the event will obscure the rape awareness message, leading the Funding Board to include a call for "a clear and obvious message portrayed on what this event is raising awareness for" in its official recommendations.

SGA treasurer and head of the Funding Board Nick Maddock also recommended that the event be turned into a charity fundraiser and that the group solicit co-sponsorship from local anti-violence groups to help defray costs. Otherwise, some senators feel the project is simply too expensive.

The application for funding from SGA states that, "SGA funding is meant to supplement existing funding and not be the primary source of funding for any event."

The Greek Week Steering Committee's original budget lists $3,023 to be obtained from SGA for shoes and $530 to be obtained from unspecified sources for decorations and road closures.

White says he understands the concern, but is confident that SGA will approve the funding once members hear the more detailed proposal he will outline Monday.

"Hopefully at this point it's just a formality," White said.

If the appeal is unsuccessful, he plans to seek funding elsewhere, possibly from increased dues from members of the Greek community, but explained that most of Greeks' dues are already earmarked for other Greek Week activities. According to the application, the organization "ha[s] not raised any funds specific to this event at this time."

"We'd have to go to Greek Life, but the reason we're asking SGA first is that we want it to be more of a campus-wide event and involve the entire community," White said.

If they are able to acquire funding, the Greek Week Steering Committee hopes the event will draw between 800 and 1,000 participants.

"It's up in the air right now, but we're obviously trying to get the university as well as local advocacy groups involved," White said.