The IRS has readjusted Off Campus College Transport’s tax standing and granted the organization not-for-profit-status retroactively from the date a filing error occurred in March of 1984. The news came amid concerns voiced by members of the Graduate Student Organization over whether or not the blue buses would continue to run next semester if the issue remained unresolved.
Student Association President Matt Landau said that the SA received a letter from the IRS yesterday regarding its tax status. According to Landau, he wasn’t sure if the letter meant the problem was completely resolved, but he thought it was a significant step.
“There are still some things we will probably have to file,” Landau said. “But this was the biggest hurdle.”
Blue bus service, run by OCCT, was in danger earlier this semester of being limited or halted because of the tax error. The organization was registered improperly 24 years ago, but the mistake was discovered only three years ago. According to Landau, the error had made it impossible for Binghamton University to give funding to OCCT, which led to the SA covering more costs for the organization. The buses were saved for the time being, however, after an agreement was reached between the SA and the University’s administration, while the tax issue was followed up.
Members of the GSO have expressed concern over not being involved in the negotiation of OCCT’s continued service until the tax issue is resolved. Jessie Kapasula, president of the GSO, said she felt the GSO wasn’t getting enough information about the specifics of the deal to update graduate students on the situation.
“I asked to be briefed as an [OCCT] board member,” Kapasula said. “I was told this was not an issue that concerned the GSO.”
Kapasula said she thought there had been a miscommunication with the SA and administration over OCCT’s status.
“We want to be able to know what is going on,” she said. “We would like to be a part of any process with the blue buses.”
Landau said he didn’t think the GSO needed to be more involved, because the discussions taking place between the SA and the University were regarding the SA’s financial support of OCCT.
“The GSO puts in around $30,000 [towards OCCT],” Landau said. “The SA gives over $300,000.”
Landau said he was confident that service would continue next semester, even if the tax issue isn’t resolved yet.
“Another agreement would have to be made between the SA and University,” Landau said. “But everyone wants to make sure the buses continue so I would expect a similar agreement.”
Both Vice President for Student Affairs Brian T. Rose and University spokeswoman Gail Glover said that keeping the buses running is a priority for BU.
“The University is committed to providing cost-effective and reliable bus service to our students,” Glover said. “When the SA resolves OCCT’s tax status issue, the University will begin discussion on the next bus service contract with the SA and is prepared to sign off on a mutually acceptable agreement.”
Several graduate and undergraduate students have begun debating with Landau over the situation on the wall of the Facebook group “Save the Blue Bus!” The group, which has 556 members, was created at the beginning of the semester to support OCCT.
On the group’s wall, students contested the agreement between the SA and the University, one calling the administration “unaccountable,” and the SA “out of touch.”
Vik Chaubey, an activist on campus in the 1990s and a former BU student, said he did not think the issue was resolved and that he expects to hold a press conference on the subject in November.
“The University since 1995 has gradually taken away power from the students,” Chaubey said. “OCCT is a different entity today.”
Tony Nocito, the GSO representative on the OCCT Board of Directors, put together a task force of GSO members to collect information about the organization’s troubles and issue a statement.
“It’s been hard to educate members as much as possible in just a day because the information is so spread out,” Nocito said.
Nocito and Kapasula emphasized that the GSO has been updating students on the situation through via its Web site.