Partisan tensions within the ASUC Senate manifested themselves in a heated discussion centering on the wisdom and duty of allocating $2,000 to provide t-shirts advertising Tang Center Awareness Week.

The debate followed reports from ASUC Auxiliary Director Nadisan Permaul and Finance Chair Madelaine Batac which outlined the dire state of ASUC and auxiliary finances.

Batac detailed that in the past two weeks the senate had spent $14,000, a rate which–if continued–would drive the ASUC budget into the red.

But many members on the CalSERVE side of the senate had helped organize the weeklong event promoting student health resources. They insisted on providing the funds, despite a senate agreement not to buy t-shirts for student events.

One CalSERVE pointed out that Senator Meghana Dhar had supported the allocation of t-shirt money for a bill she sponsored several months ago.

Dhar said that it had been a mistake and since then the senate had not spent any funds on t-shirts.

The meeting recessed several times so that Robert’s Rules of Order would not impede the discussion. Eventually an agreement to allocating $290 to cover advertising costs already incurred seemed to be reached until a vote failed.

The bill was eventually sent back to committee.

“We punted it,” said Senator Tommy Owens.