The Programs Finance Committee allocated more than a quarter million dollars Tuesday night in a five-hour push to fund six programs for the next school year.
Campus Recycling received $165,670, a 31 percent boost in its budget to help pay for rising wages related to Oregon’s minimum wage laws and to help meet future needs for new recycling vehicles and a storage building. Recycling Program Manager Karyn Kaplan said the increase was vital not only to preserve student jobs but also to maintain current levels of recycling on campus.
ASUO Controller Rosie Sweetman agreed with Kaplan and urged the PFC to accept the budget for the
recycling program.
“We fund events and conferences that don’t include all students,” Sweetman said. “Campus Recycling is here every day and they do a
good job.”
The International Resource Center received $78,244, a 40.8 percent increase from last year’s budget. International Resource Center Coordinator Anne Williams will leave the center in June and requested additional funds to pay for her replacement. Williams said between 15,000 and 18,000 students have used the center every year since it reopened
in 2000.
One point of contention between PFC members was whether to fully fund the center’s International
Education Week, held in November. PFC Senator Khanh Le argued that this would be the first year a funding request was put in for the event and therefore only one-half of the event’s budget should be financed according to PFC guidelines. This is standard practice for new line items, he said.
“I don’t want to set a precedent with this decision,” Le said.
PFC Chairwoman Persis Pohowalla noted the IRC had receipts from November’s event and wanted to see it fully funded despite the first-year rule.
In the end, the PFC funded just a little more than half of the event costs, allocating $957 for event costs and food.
The Community Internship Program was allotted $15,213, an 8.2 percent decrease. The group uses funding for events such as the Flying Feathers 5K Walk and Run and
staff stipends.
The Athletic Department Finance Committee received $1,815, a 39.6 percent decrease due to fewer planned events for the coming school year.
The Constitution Court received $4,870, a 0.4 percent decrease in funding to pay stipends for the court’s four justices and chief justice.
The Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation received $8,771, a 1.68 percent increase from last year’s budget.
The PFC tabled the Crisis Center’s budget hearing to allow the group more time for budget preparation.

Sheldon Traver is a freelance reporter for the Daily Emerald