An Associated Students senator and candidate for Homecoming Queen cast the deciding vote that gave nearly one-eighth of ASUA's club funding budget to Bobcats Senior Honorary, a group that helps put on Homecoming.

"I thought about abstaining because I had kind of a conflict of interest," said Sen. Maile Weigele, a Central Coordinating Council member who voted in favor of giving $5,555.95 to Bobcats.

In an Oct. 16 meeting, the CCC, an ASUA body composed of members from the executive and legislative branches, voted 2-1 to approve the Bobcats' full request for funding.

A conflict of interest prevented two of the five CCC members from voting on the matter. Both Erin Russell, vice president for clubs and organizations, and Senate Chairman Gilbert Davidson chose not to vote because they are members of Bobcats.

Bobcats chooses all of the finalists for Homecoming Queen.

Weigele, a candidate for Homecoming Queen at the time of the meeting, said she chose to vote because her personal interest with Bobcats was "indirect."

Weigele said she decided to vote because she thought the funding measure would pass with or without her vote. She said Bobcats framed its request in such a way that made it difficult to justify any reductions.

"Abstaining would have only delayed the inevitable," Weigele said.

Alex Sugiyama, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, said he thinks student government officials should abstain from voting no matter how insignificant a conflict of interest may be.

Sugiyama said Weigele should have excused herself from voting because her interest in the matter gives the appearance of impropriety.

"If the Bobcats were in a position to benefit her she should have abstained from voting, whether or not her vote actually improved her chances of becoming Homecoming Queen," he said.

According to Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, the rules under which ASUA holds its meetings, a voting member must abstain only when he stands to gain personal financial reward from his vote.

Robert Sankey, a certified parliamentarian and director of curriculum at the University of Arizona, said Weigele did not have to abstain from voting because she had only an indirect interest with the Bobcats.

"Nobody could deprive her of the vote," he said. "She would have to make that decision herself."

Sankey said that by voting "yes," Weigele could have conceivably gained an advantage over other Homecoming Queen candidates.

Weigele, however, was not chosen as one of the finalists.

"It's a real close call because her personal interest in the matter does have the potential of biasing her vote," Sankey said.

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