The EMU Board of Directors’ first budget meeting of the year deadlocked Thursday night when the board couldn’t decide whether to eliminate four student jobs in favor of one, full-time position in the EMU Scheduling Office.
The Scheduling Office was one of three groups slated for the Board’s Thursday night budget allocation meeting. Every EMU program must go through a budget appraisal, similar to the ASUO Programs Finance Committee hearings taking place throughout the month.
The Scheduling Office’s budget proposal for 2003-04 proved difficult for the board because the office is seeking to hire a full- or part-time staff member at the front desk. That employee would replace four student positions.
University Scheduling Officer Virginia Anderson, who is also the scheduling and events services unit director, said she needed to have non-students to provide consistency.
“It’s not students versus outside staff,” Anderson said. “I could have up to four (different) people on my desk during the day. That just doesn’t provide the consistency that we need.”
Anderson added hiring an individual from outside the University would help the Scheduling Office better serve the University community.
The Scheduling Office is responsible for reserving University facilities for purposes outside of normal class operation. The office works directly with student groups, University departments and off-campus organizations to help plan successful events.
Anderson supervises nine students, including several on work study. If the budget is approved without amendment, only five students will have work in the office.
Much of the dissent over hiring a full-time “outsider” in the
Scheduling Office came from ASUO Vice President Ben Buzbee.
“The (ASUO Executive) will not support, in any way, taking away incidental fees from student positions and giving it to an outside specialist,” Buzbee said.
Several members of the board said they needed more time to make a good choice.
“I’m really hesitant to get rid of student jobs on campus,” board member Christa Shively said. “I haven’t decided that’s the best decision, yet.”
Earlier during the evening, the board supported the Student Ticket Office’s request for a budget of just more than $100,000 — the same funding level as last year — before running into a stalemate over the Scheduling Office’s budget, which includes a growth request. The deadlock took up so much time that the Office of Event Services’ hearing was postponed until Jan. 17.