Following a Union Charter mandated audit and review of Union finances, the Student Body will have a chance to again vote on the financial amendment that will drastically revamp Union finances. On the same ballot, students will also decide how to spend $122,000 currently in a fund (known as the rollover fund) which has accumulated in Union accounts due to a lack of protocol on how to handle unspent funds throughout 1999-2003. Currently students will vote to either spend the money furbishing the game room in Usdan or building a climbing wall. There is a possibility that a third proposal-building a Ford Hall monument-might make the ballot; however this has not been confirmed. The vote will take place starting Thursday, Oct. 30 at noon and will last until Tuesday, November 4 at 5:00 p.m.

The Brandeis Debate Society will hold a public debate Wednesday Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center to inform students about each of the proposals to spend the rollover account.

Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett was one of the people who originally proposed the game room. She said that the game is a better choice for students because it will affect more students with a "variety of skills and a variety of interests."

Bennett however said she is "sad" that the Union is put in a position where the two proposals are adversarial rather than complementary.

Brandeis Outdoor and Mountaineering Club was one of the supporters of the climbing wall. President of the Outdoor and Mountaineering Club Jesse Salk '04 said he believes the Climbing wall is a better proposal. He also said that the climbing wall will require the entire rollover fund while the game room doesn't need that much money.

"The vote for the wall is not a vote against the game room," Salk said. "It will happen over time as it doesn't need up front capital (like the climbing wall does)."

University President Jehuda Reinharz' office narrowed nine student proposals to spend the rollover money to two.

Rollover is one of the things that is addressed by the proposed financial amendment.

The students originally rejected the financial amendment, written by Attorney Ron Goldstein '89, in late April with almost twice as many students voting no as yes; only about 450 total votes were cast. Since then, the Executive Board (E-board) has tweaked the amendment and hopes that the extended voting period, along with a public debate and more awareness will help the financial amendment pass.

"The amendment is designed to expand the responsibilities of the Allocations Board, will create training workshops for club leaders, will set a policy for how to deal with unspent and unallocated funds, and will establish a structure for the funding of an administrative assistant position," Union President Josh Brandfon '05 said in an e-mail to the Justice.

"Additionally, the amendment will formalize new and existing financial reporting requirements to ensure consistency and compliance with University policies and state and federal laws."

"The amendment is critical to the financial stability of the Student Union and our 200 (plus) clubs and organizations," Brandfon said. "It will enable us to preserve our student-run, uniquely Brandeis, Union structure."

"By strengthening our financial systems, we will be able to more effectively track and allocate funds," Brandfon said. "It will put more money into the hands on the Allocations Board, and in turn, will put more money into the hands of our clubs."

"I urge students to vote 'yes' on the referendum," Brandfon said.

According to an email sent by Union Secretary Danny Silverman '05, the amendment amends sections V, VI and VII of the Student Union Constitution "to expand the powers of the Allocations Board, increase accountability measures, clarify the disbursement of SAF funds, allow for the retention of a staff administrative assistant, and bring Union reporting requirements in line with University policies and State and Federal law."

After ratification of the current Charter in, the Union was mandated to conduct a financial review by the end of 2002. The financial review determined that there were many problems with the current system including a lack of accountability within the student union. An example of this came to light when the Justice discovered that a former Union treasurer stole over $5,000 from the Union. Some of the money has since been recovered, while over $1,800 is still missing.