The wheels on the bus go round and round, and will continue to do so.
University students will continue to be able to use their student ID cards as bus passes thanks to the Programs Finance Committee’s approval of the Lane Transit District’s budget. The PFC, the ASUO committee responsible for allocating incidental fees, approved the $83,617 increase after a 30-minute debate.
The increase puts the University on par with the rates given to other groups. Until now, the University has enjoyed a lower rate than other organizations that participate in the group rate plan for bus passes.
Committee member Steven Wilsey was somewhat reluctant to raise LTD’s budget, in part because he did not like the fact that the ASUO is forced to pay for the service for every single student or not have it at all.
“I’m not going to deny that (the pass) is invaluable. It’s just a lot in one year and at one time,” he said.
PFC member Diego Hernandez expressed similar sentiments, stating, “I’m worried that we spend more money on LTD than anything.”
ASUO Finance Coordinator Matt Rose defended the service.
“We need to provide as much access as possible,” he said. “It’s like football tickets – not everyone is going to use it.”
Andy Vobora, the service planning director of LTD, concurred.
“That’s the basis of the group price – not everyone uses it.”
LTD’s budget passed unopposed; Wilsey voted for it and Hernandez abstained. PFC Chairman Jacob Brennan abstained from every vote, a practice that is common for Brennan and past PFC chairs.
Brennan reminded committee members to follow protocol numerous times throughout the meeting, which was only the committee’s second so far in the term and second with all seven current members present. Members who were apparently unfamiliar with the rules cut each other off and seconded motions with which they disagreed. Brennan apologized to each group for the PFC’s inexperience and confusion, which he said caused the meeting to run behind schedule.
The debate surrounding Sexual Assault Support Service’s budget was heated and ended in a stalemate after an hour of discussion.
The group’s budget reflects ongoing contract negotiations with ASUO executive branch. President Emily McLain and Vice President Chii-San SunOwen were both in attendance for this portion of the meeting. They took questions from the PFC, whose members were baffled by board’s proposed 15.6 percent decrease in funds for the SASS – $7,464 less than the group received during last year’s budget process.
“As a student organization we focus on services. What we’ve seen is that some services in student life overlap… the cut comes from things that will be duplicated in the future and are duplicated now,” McLain said.
The SASS members, eight of whom were in attendance, exchanged glances and shook their heads from side to side at McLain suggestion that SASS services overlap with those provided by other campus groups.
“We haven’t had a perfect relationship with SASS. We’re not always getting what we’re supposed to be getting,” said McLain, in reference to whether SASS has been able to prove that it is spending incidental fee money on the services to which the money has been allocated.
Anthony Green, speaking on behalf of SASS, disagreed.
“We laid on the table exactly what we wanted,” he said. ” We feel the lack of transparency is not on our part.”
McLain, who had been leaning back in her chair, chewing gum, scoffed.
The PFC eventually voted to table the SASS budget until later in the month so the members will have more time to discuss the issue with SASS and the ASUO executive.
Earlier in the meeting, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Educational and Support Services Program received $8,873, a 17 percent increase.
Chicora Martin, the program’s director, stated that current funding did not adequately cover the costs of pay for unclassified staff, including her own pay. For the past few years, the ASUO has funded a smaller percentage of the pay than it is supposed to, she said.
While some PFC members expressed the desire to grant the large request in order to bring the budget to the level it should be funded at, both Wilsey and fellow PFC member Meili Yu expressed reservations about granting such a large request so early in the budget process.
“It is early but we have a chance to fix it. Who knows what’ll happen in the future, who knows what happened in the past, but salary affects people’s lives,” Hernandez said.
The budget passed, with Yu abstaining from the vote.
The Mills International Center received an increase of $3,740. The 4.2 percent increase is about a third of the amount the group requested.
“The money (we want) would pay work study students after their work study hours are over,” said Kellen Wertz, office manager for the center.
PFC member Nick Meyers told the group that he would like to reconsider its budget after the initial considerations of all budgets, suggesting that the PFC might consider recalling the budget at the end of the process.
“You guys are at the top of my list of people that deserve money,” Meyers said.
The University Theatre received an additional $1,500, a 4 percent increase, to help with transportation costs. The theater has charged University students $5 a seat since 2002.
The Philosophy Club, in its sophomore year of existence, received a 30 percent increase. PFC members said new groups typically are given somewhat large percentage increases to help them grow. This brings the Philosophy Club’s budget to $390 for next year.
The board will be reviewing budgets four nights a week for six more weeks.