The EMU Board of Directors approved 2003-04 operating budgets for three EMU programs Friday evening, and discussed ways to finance groups that need more money in the wake of the recent minimum-wage increase.
The board reviewed budgets for EMU Event and Technical Services, EMU Scheduling and Information and EMU Administration, allocating the three groups a total of $1,308,384 for next year.
EMU Event and Technical Services, the first budget approval at Friday’s meeting, received $187,646 for 2003-04.
Department manager Mike Kraiman explained that Event and Technical Services provides students with a good value because they rent out equipment and services at prices far below “fair market value,” often at a discount of up to 60 percent for equipment at campus dance events, such as disco lights.
ASUO Vice President Ben Buzbee, the student body representative on the board, questioned whether the group could charge students less.
“Is there any way that the cost to students could be decreased by increasing cost to outside groups?” Buzbee asked.
Kraiman said while decreasing student rates would be possible, it would require more outside groups to use the EMU, and it would undermine the building’s primary function as a location for student groups.
After passing the EMU Event and Technical Services budget, discussion turned to EMU Scheduling and Information.
The group, responsible for renting out rooms in the EMU to students, faculty and outside groups, received a budget of $218,431 for next year. The EMU currently does not charge student or University groups to rent rooms, and 55 percent of scheduled rooms are rented by University departments. This prompted some board members to suggest a potential charge for University department use.
EMU Administrative Director Dusty Miller cautioned against this move.
“The EMU is the hub of the campus,” Miller said. “To charge for meeting rooms might decrease use.”
As an alternative to the potential fee, the board decided to seek additional money from the general University fund to maintain the EMU’s current function on campus.
In the third hearing of the evening, the board approved a $902,308 operating budget for EMU Administration with little discussion. The board then questioned each EMU department manager individually to help make the budget process run smoothly in future meetings. The meeting adjourned after an hour of private discussion on various topics, including the minimum-wage increase and boosting student work-study employment.

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