A tense argument erupted during Monday’s Program Finance Committee meeting, leaving one of the committee members in tears, and forcing other members to voraciously defend the financial oversight function of the committee.
The argument started during the budget review of the Multicultural Center, which PFC members criticized for borrowing $6,000 from the Student Senate surplus account, and then failing to use approximately $2,000.
Last spring, when the surplus money was granted, the Senate criticized the group for being financially irresponsible and spending funds allocated for the Edwin Coleman Arts and Speakers Series to replace stolen video equipment.
Members of the Multicultural Center said that the borrowed money was to fund a speaker who was unable to lecture after being diagnosed with brain cancer. It is unclear whether the money was given to the speaker and refunded or never spent.
“There are groups who have had speakers cancel for terrible reasons, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving them second chances either,” said PFC At-Large Matt Rose. “Everyone has to take a hit this year.”
“When our speaker fell ill and couldn’t be used, that money was never allocated for us to use,” said Multicultural Center Co-Director Kari Herinckx. “It seems like we’re being penalized for going above and beyond and trying to get great speakers.”
In the budgetary process, those unspent funds were seen as a blemish on the Multicultural Center’s financial record because unspent funds detract from each student group’s ability to get an increase. Following procedure, ASUO controller Brian O’Banion gave an executive recommendation for the PFC members to give the center an increase of 1.99 percent for 2007-08, less than the group might have otherwise received.
Multicultural Center Co-Director Jael Anker-Lagos balked at the idea that the center was being penalized for its speaker’s disease.
“The PFC should not just follow the executive recommendation,” she said. “The PFC committee’s responsibility is to examine circumstances like ours where there are extenuating circumstances.”
But PFC Vice Chairman Micah Kosasa said the committee was just giving the Multicultural Center the same scrutiny it gives all student-financed programs.
“They asked to borrow surplus money so they took a chance, and their speaker got sick,” Kosasa said. “That money could have been used by another group.”
This altercation led to further argument as PFC members began to consider splitting up a large bulk fund for the Multicultural Center’s Edwin Coleman Arts and Speaker Series into smaller, more-specific items in the budget.
The problem, said Kosasa, was that the Multicultural Center’s Coleman series had more than $15,000 that could be spent on whatever they wanted.
“That’s not fair to other groups,” Kosasa said.
Multicultural Center member and former 2004-05 PFC member Khanh Le pointed out that three years ago the committee did the exact opposite: They combined the Edwin Coleman funds into a larger fund.
“I think that as PFC we can change our minds,” said Kosasa, “I want it to be a lot clearer on how you’ll be using your funds.”
Multicultural Center Program Director Steve Morozumi accused the PFC of not supporting diversity on campus or representing the student body.
“Do you really want to micromanage our budget or do you want to empower students? It comes down to self-determination at some level,” said Morozumi.
But many of the PFC members said they were just doing their job.
“I feel wrongly attacked for itemizing your budget, it’s part of the PFC process. We do this to every single budget,” said Rose. “The real thing is visibility, oversight. This is student money. This is a privilege that you get this money.”
The PFC voted to itemize the budget for the Edwin Coleman series, splitting the lump $15,000 into $450 for conferences, $7,895 for speakers and $6,675 for outreach. The PFC members followed the executive recommendation and approved the 1.99 percent increase with a 4-0-3 vote.
“I don’t think you can see this as any kind of attack on what you do.” said PFC At-Large Annie Blomberg. “I think any increase is a sign from us that we think you’re doing a great job.”
Feb. 12, 2007 Budget hearing results
Outlaws: A 8.06 percent decrease (a difference of $582) Budget: $6,635
Students of the Indian Subcontinent: A 1.78 percent increase (a difference of $154) Budget: $8,791
Pre-Dental Club: A 9.96 percent decrease (a difference of $26) Budget: $263
Multicultural Center: A 1.99 percent increase (a difference of $2,021) Budget: $103,402
Feb. 8, 2007 Budget Hearing Results
International Resource Center: A 3.8 percent decrease (difference unavailable) Budget: $87,155
Assault Prevention Shuttle: A 8.98 percent decrease (a difference of $6,353) Budget: $64,374.
Chinese Student Association: A 9.79 percent decrease (a difference of $1,062) Budget: $9,786.
Oregon Marine Student Association: Budget: $4,996. No change.
Coalition Against Environmental Racism: A 4.04 percent decrease (a difference of $570) Budget: $13,530
Amnesty International: A 32.2 percent decrease (a difference of $109) Budget $200