The Student Senate voted to increase the Programs Finance Committee’s 2006-07 budget by 6.96 percent Wednesday to allow fee-funded programs more room for growth.
Wednesday was the first time the Senate rejected an Executive benchmark recommendation. The Senate passed the Executive’s EMU and Athletic Department Finance Committee benchmarks last week. These groups are responsible for more than $10.2 million in incidental fees.
People on both sides of the debate agreed on the importance of keeping the incidental fee low and groups’ abilities to grow high, but the Executive’s “fiscally responsible” platform was seen by many, in this case, as limiting to programs.
“This is a very small increase for these groups,” Senate Ombudsman and PFC Chairman Jared Axelrod said. “They need more room to grow.”
The Executive also announced that it had vetoed the Student Senate’s allocation of $300 to the American Institute of Architecture Students because the group didn’t submit a budget to the PFC as the Senate had requested.
Senate also allocated $650 to three groups for a future phone bill, national group dues and a Diwali festival on Nov. 18. Before adjourning, Senators sang to Senator Rachel Lee, who was celebrating her 21st birthday.
– Nicholas Wilbur