Increased enrollment means more money for student groups
The budgets of four student organizations are passed by SIFC without fee increases
Joce DeWitt
Issue date: 2/25/11 Section: News
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Ten regular members of the board gathered for the discussion, including Chris Jordan from ASOSU Senate; Members At-Large Ryne Burgess, Kate Welter, Zach Olson, and Kevin Schock; Kevin Dunn of the House of Representatives; ASOSU President Andrew Struthers; SIFC Chair Matt Vogt; SIFC Assistant Austin Bouck and MU President Craig Bidiman.
SSI began the meeting with a presentation by representative Justin Russell, who gave an explanation on the organization's current activities.
According to Russell, SSI has 55 active volunteers and has provided more than 500 with sustainable services.
The presentation outlined SSI's participation in the Spring Creek Project and the Student Experience Center as well as expressed the need to deal with increasing enrollment.
"A key effort is reaching out to students," Russell said.
Russell also discussed the Sustainable Energy Revolving Loan Fund, which provides OSU with low interest financing to promote sustainable energy projects.
"We are increasing awareness and demand for the Revolving Loan Fund," Russell said.
A major component of SSI is funding for grants, which have reportedly increased in amount and quality over the last year. SSI requested a budget increase for grants to $26,795 from the current $12,000.
In addition to grant funding, SSI sought a renewable energy budget increase to $492,150 from $459,000. They called for the addition of a Fee Board Chair stipend of $2,400, equaling $200 a month for 12 months, in order to create incentive for the requirements of the position.
The final request of $10,000 was for a travel stipend that would pay for excursions taken by representatives of SSI.
However, due to current budget reductions that the SSI has been undergoing, including building maintenance and programming expenses, the base budget request came out to a zero percent budget increase.
SSI's request for a budget change from $13.90 per student per term to $11.86 per student per term was approved by the SIFC.
Gianluigi Benvenutto, chair of the Student Diversity Budgeting Board, which provides leadership for the cultural centers, the Pride Center and the Women's Center, took the floor next.
Also at the meeting supplying information on the status of funding for the four cultural centers was Director of Diversity Development Victoria Nguyen.
"Basically, funding for all four centers has been completed," Nguyen said.
According to Benvenutto, who answered specific and general questions asked by SIFC, the main concern of the Student Diversity Budgeting Board was to adjust all mid-level student leadership positions to reflect salary equity.
Benvenutto explained that the board wanted to alter salaries of every mid-level position within the centers to $9.50 per student per hour. Other concerns included the addition of an AmeriCorps volunteer as an employee to the Women's Center.
From a total budget of $784,619 per student per term, the Diversity Budgeting Board requested $12.81 for fall, winter and spring term, $0.39 for the Business Center and $8.30 for summer term. The requests amounted to an overall budget increase of 1.35 percent, which was also approved by all SIFC members.
The third presentation was lead by Alexis Galvan, chair of Educational Activities, which oversees the budgets of several campus groups.
All members of the SIFC passed the overall request by Educational Activities committee for $709,161, which is also a decrease from the current budget.
Student Media falls under the jurisdiction of Educational Activities. A budget for The Daily Barometer was therefore the chief subject of discussion among the SIFC for the third segment of the meeting.
After The Daily Barometer business manager, Levi Downey, spoke about intentions to increase revenue and decrease the newspaper's expenses through different projects, SIFC members discussed whether or not the proposed budget of $127,000, or $0.64 per student per term would be enough funding for the paper.
"The main thing I'd be worried about is that they're not getting compensated for their work," Downey said.
Downey wasn't the only person advocating for more money for employees.
"They are working for more than they actually get," Bidiman said. "I know how overworked they are."
After several minutes of deliberation, the movement for a budget of $0.64 per student per term for The Daily Barometer under the Educational Activities budget was approved.
"It's a good starting place," Burgess said. "So for next year if it comes up short, we can adjust. I have no problem with this decision."
The last presentation of the night was by Charlie McGowan, vice president of the Memorial Union.
The four topics discussed as part of the budget were the transition of ISOSU, Buenos Burritos, The Student Experience Center and the transition of the SSI.
The overall request by the MU was another zero percent increase for $65.78 for fall, winter and spring term and $59.80 for summer term.
As all four organizations sought a zero percent increase in their budgets, the meeting ended on a positive note.
According to Struthers, the reason that so many organizations requested a zero budget increase was due to growing student enrollment.
"I'm happy to see a variety of zero percent increases without impeding service," Schock said. "I don't think we've emptied students' wallets to do it."
Joce DeWitt, staff writer
737-2231, news@dailybarometer.com
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