The ASUO Multicultural Center was denied $8,494 on Wednesday to help pay for a lecture series after the Student Senate criticized the group for being fiscally irresponsible, draining an account and spending the money in ways for which it was not intended.
Senators considered withholding all of the request because they feared setting a precedent that poor money management will be tolerated. But the Senate decided to give the MCC $6,000 in addition to what the group was already budgeted for the Edwin Coleman Arts and Speaker Series because most agreed that the MCC would not have been able to afford the events without the extra money.
The money came from the surplus fund, which is an account filled from student groups that didn’t spend all of their money from the previous year.
All student groups are given money from the student-paid incidental fee, which costs an individual student $191 a term this year. The Senate usually allocates this money for unexpected and emergency events or other purposes.
The drained MCC account originally contained $15,000 intended to pay for speakers at group events. It now has $157.57.
The MCC received $94,297 total this year in incidental fees.
MCC Programs Advisor Steve Morozumi said the group had some video equipment stolen and pulled money out of the account to replace it.
Senators said MCC should have come to the Senate to request money to replace the equipment.
The $15,000 in the account should not have been spent yet, argued Senator Richard Malena, who criticized the lack of documentation for the money transfers.
“I don’t believe that surplus should go to a fund that’s been drained for other things,” he said.
“You’re kind of nickel and diming us,” Morozumi said at the Senate meeting Wednesday night.
“We’ve nickel and dimed every group,” Senator Toby Piering replied.
“I don’t see why it’s so difficult to just give us more money,” MCC co-Director Khanh Le said.In a debate that came full-circle several times, with both senators and MCC representatives repeating the same arguments, a motion was made to give $6,000. It passed 10-3.
After debate, Multicultural Center funds approved
Daily Emerald
April 16, 2006
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