Cronyism and self-promotion at student expense were at the center of criticism leveled at Associated Students, Inc. presidential candidate and Green Thunder director Howard Story by his political opponents in the last week.

Presidential candidate Eric Guerra said that Story has used his position as director of the spirit program to promote his own political aspirations, and pointed to a Green Thunder poster that Story commissioned at the beginning of the semester as proof.

“I think it?s a misappropriation of funds. If you look at the poster, there are no pictures of athletes on it. The poster also has a picture of Luke Wood on it. What he (Story) has done is a conflict of interest, and I find it unfortunate,” Guerra said.

As the director of Green Thunder, Story stopped using 8″x11″ paper fliers to promote sports events and ordered oversized glossy posters that outlined Sacramento State?s basketball schedule?each with a baseball card-style picture of Story in the right margin.

Story knows promotion. His LA Bay company has long sponsored for-admission parties that target the college student market. He often closes personal conversations by handing out a handbill to his latest production.

Even when Story interviewed with The State Hornet editorial board in an attempt to secure the newpaper?s endorsement, he ended the session by giving each interviewer two advertisements to parties he was sponsoring.

Joshua Wood is the student who designed the poster for Green Thunder. He said Story is well-known around campus and he wanted to put a face to his name so more people will know who he is.

The poster also features a reference and contact information to LA Bay Productions and FreeState, a band Story has used at his parties, and of which Wood is a member.

But beyond personal or even business promotion, Story?s opponents in the ASI presidential race think the posters purchased with student dollars serve political goals.

Tom Hughes, who is running as an independent for president, measured his words carefully.

“Anything you put out there is a campaign tool,” Hughes said.

Besides accusations of parlaying his directorship into self-promotion for his business and his candidacy, questions about how Green Thunder chooses its vendors have arisen.

According to ASI business records, Green Thunder hired Lastdrawer Publishing, Inc. to design and print 7,500 schedule cards and 5,000 fliers. ASI cut a check to Lastdrawer for $380 for publishing services last August.

But Lastdrawer Publishing?s proprietor is Sac State student Andrew N. Duong. His business does not have a license, Duong said, but when asked if his company is incorporated, Duong said, “You can say that.”

A State Hornet search of the California Secretary of State?s database found no listing for Lastdrawer Publishing as a corporation or limited partnership.

Duong?who has taken a leave of absence as The State Hornet?s graphic design manager to work as Story?s campaign manager?was hired as Story?s assistant director on Feb. 1. ASI also wrote a $50 check to him for graphics work he performed for Green Thunder last September.

Both Story and Duong failed to return phone calls prior to The State Hornet?s Monday afternoon deadline.

ASI is audited once a year, and Green Thunder?s financial records are examined at that time. ASI Vice President of Finance Tom Hughes said if Green Thunder or any other student-directed program stays within budget there is usually little scrutiny during the audit.

Some of Green Thunder?s budget is fixed, such as $15,460 of Green Thunder?s $30,294 total resources ? more than half ? which pays wages for the director and two assistants. Citing privacy rules, ASI would not disclose how much each director receives.

The program also rents storage space in Foley Hall for $3,600 per year.

But many line items in the budget are fluid, and overspending in one area is routinely covered by moving money from other areas of the budget.

And last semester, Green Thunder used $3,220 to subsidize a trip to see the Hornets? football game at CSU Northridge. Receipts reviewed by The State Hornet show the money paid for a bus rental and hotel expenses. Approximately 35 people attended, Story said.

Although Green Thunder budgeted $1,500 for travel for the entire year, Campus Life Director Jennifer Millsap, who along with Megan Story oversees Green Thunder, said the budget is “flexible between categories as long as the bottom line doesn?t change.”

Other “flexible” line items in Green Thunder?s budget include:$1,300 for free food for students at Sac State sporting events.

$3,500 for T-shirts and caps that Green Thunder gives away to students at sporting events.

$700 for promotional items such as posters.

$750 for equipment rental.

“If any of the money goes unused by the end of fiscal year, it is moved to the ASI general fund or it can be put into a reserve account and be used if there is a bad year,” said ASI Director of Finance and Administration Randolph Morgan.

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