*UPDATE* Senator who group said didn't respond to e-mails resigns

*UPDATE* Pro Tempore Joshua Miller said during Thursday's SGA Senate meeting that Cabot Brown has resigned from College of Business Seat 4.

Miller said Brown cited outside time commitments in his resignation letter.

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A registered student organization went before the Student Government Association Senate on Thursday to ask for an allocation of money from an emergency fund after they said they had not heard from their appointed senator for weeks.

The senate voted 36-1 to recommend SGA President Brian Peterson allocate $4,000 from the emergency allocations fund to the International Business Association at UCF.

Fabrizzio Orlando Chaves, president of the IBA at UCF, said he originally contacted Senator Cabot Brown, College of Business Seat 4, on Oct. 24, 2009, requesting a bill for funding to a conference in Panama in March.

Chaves said he didn't hear back from Brown for three weeks, and after that time, met with Brown in person once. After that, Chaves said he e-mailed Brown again on Jan. 14 and didn't receive a response until Feb. 4.

After receiving that response, Chaves said he attempted to set up a meeting on Feb. 6, and after getting no response from Brown, contacted President Pro Tempore Joshua Miller.

"I feel like I gave [Brown] an opportunity before taking such a drastic step," Chaves said.

Brown was not present at the senate meeting.

"I worked tirelessly around the clock to get this organization funding and there was a lapse of communication," said Brown in an e-mail interview after the senate meeting. "I am very excited that this organization will be receiving funding as this is a great organization which consists of many students that will represent the University of Central Florida in only a positive manner."

Chaves, along with other members of the IBA, met with the Conference, Registration and Travel Committee during their caucus at the senate meeting, causing the 15-minute caucus to last about an hour.

Senator Sarah Bishop, College of Business Administration Seat 5 and chair of the CRT Committee, brought the issue before senate after the caucus.

"It was so embarrassing," said Bishop. "I can't even express to you. I was shaking. I was embarrassed. I've never felt that way in three years."

Many senators defended the funding level of about $400 per-person — up from the suggested average of $250 per-person — that would be requested from the emergency fund.

"I feel awful that they went through this, and I feel awful that it took them this long to get here now," said Senator Katie Celano, College of Education Seat 2.

Senator Christina Willis, College of Graduate Studies Seat 4, said the funding was set too high and money shouldn't be used as an apology.

"It was terrible, but I don't think it means giving them that much money," Willis said.

Brown was not mentioned by name at any point during the meeting.

The emergency allocations fund is part of the Activities and Service Fee. Control of the fund is given to the executive branch of SGA. The fund was originally allocated $10,000 for the 2009-2010 school year.

Because IBA at UCF's event is only a few weeks away, there is not enough time left to draft and pass a bill for their funding. The senate decided to recommend utilizing the emergency allocations fund in order to provide the organization with the money they were requesting in time for their trip.

Within SGA Senate, all RSOs are assigned a senator to represent them, including writing bills on their behalf for requested funds for conferences.

The next step is for Patrick Stauffer, speaker of the senate, to draft an official memorandum to Peterson requesting the funds allocation.

Chaves said he is pleased that he was able to begin the funding process for the IBA's trip to Panama to build a sustainable restaurant business.

"It's a feeling of satisfaction," Chaves said.