Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group took its next step toward ASUO funding by making an extended presentation to the Athletics and Contracts Finance Committee on Friday morning.
OSPIRG, a student group that has not received student funds for the last two years, was granted a portion of Friday’s ACFC meeting to explain its budget. Most student groups and contracts make a presentation during a budget hearing, but ACFC allowed OSPIRG to present in a less-charged environment than a traditional budget hearing.
OSPIRG Board Chair Charles Denson presented along with OSPIRG Board Treasurer Katie Taylor, other members of the group and Oregon State PIRG Executive Director Dave Rosenfeld.
Denson said sending money to off-campus causes is well within both the University’s and the ASUO’s mission statements.
“The public doesn’t have full-time advocates in Salem,” Denson said. “At every point (in legislative advocacy), students are involved.”
After the presentation, committee members had a question and answer period about OSPIRG’s budget and group operation.
During this period, both ACFC Vice Chair Ian Fielding and ACFC Executive Appointee Clark Kissiah asked how the group would respond to being offered less than their full request.
“With half funding, will you still be effective?” Fielding asked.
Though Rosenfeld said they could not make a decision until they returned to the board, the traditional procedure would be to cut programs unable to meet minimum funding rather than decreasing all programs’ funding.
OSPIRG has two more major steps to take in order to be funded by the student incidental fee: its budget hearing with the ACFC and ASUO Senate approval of the ACFC’s budget.
OSPIRG’s formal budget hearing will be at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1.
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