Emotions ran high and tempers ran hot at Tuesday’s ASUO Programs Finance Committee meeting in the EMU Rogue Room.
The meeting started with a surprise — a singing telegram for PFC programs appointee Joy Nair in honor of her 22nd birthday. PFC members clapped and sang along, but as soon as the festivities ended it was time to get to work.
Oregon Voice’s request for an appeal to obtain more funding was turned down with a vote of 6-0-1, with the ASUO Executive strongly supporting PFC’s decision. “I understand this is the very first appeal (PFC) is working on,” ASUO Executive controller Beebee Tan said. “So whatever you set tonight is the precedent for the hundred-something other groups.”
The Minority Law Students Association also requested an appeal; the PFC granted the motion, even though the ASUO Executive recommended no appeal. MLSA blamed the ASUO Executive for low funding, saying ASUO did not give it information on payroll paperwork, which resulted in payroll cuts for the group.
In response, Tan pointed out to MLSA that there were mandatory meetings in which payroll was stressed, and she “believed (MLSA) was supposed to have a representative there.”
The MLSA appeal proceedings will be held Saturday at noon.
Singapore Students Association and Japanese Students Organization also walked away with a second chance to ask PFC for more money, as well as the full support of the ASUO Executive.
Other groups, however, took hits to their 2003-04 budgets, however.
Project Saferide was allocated $42,619, a 30.97 percent decrease from last year’s budget. Night Ride’s departure from
Project Saferide earlier this year was the main cause of the cut.
Although Pre-Law Society suffered a 37.2 percent decrease in funds, the members said they are trying to rebuild their group, and that they were grateful for the $142 they received.
“Hopefully this will make a good start to the group,” Nair said.
OSPIRG received $82,320 for 2003-04, a 31.87 percent decrease.
Beyond the three large decreases, PFC increased four other groups’ budgets.
The University Counseling Center received $271,181, a 2.83 percent increase. Counseling Center representatives said they were very happy with the increase.
The Interfraternity Council was given $10,224, a 5.49 percent increase, and the Panhellenic Council was allocated $10,293, a 6.93 percent increase. The Mentor Program with the Career Center was allocated $75,550, a 5.63 percent increase.
The PFC tabled the Sexual
Assault Support Services budget hearing because of missing
paperwork.