The ASUO Programs Finance Committee has finished approving the budgets of more than 125 student groups, resulting in allocations totaling almost $5 million. The budget appropriations constitute a slight increase from last year but fall comfortably short of PFC’s benchmark.
“There’s a good amount of healthy growth in here that’s needed and supported by students,” said ASUO Student Senate President Ben Strawn, who helped approve PFC’s benchmark in November. “I think for the most part it went well.”
According to tentative numbers provided by the ASUO, PFC allocated $4,889,127 to student groups — a 1.18 percent increase from last year — in a series of marathon budget meetings that began in January.
The allocations will fund 2004-05 budgets for student incidental fee-financed groups.
The Student Recreation Center received the largest budget allotment, a tentative $778,753.
The largest percentage increase — a whopping 876.4 percent — went to the United States Student Association, which lobbies for students’ interests in Washington, D.C. However, the group had been funded at its lowest level since 1995-96. PFC awarded the group $9,640, up from $1,100 in 2003-04, but down from a high of $50,223 in 2000-01 and 2001-02.
“It’s not really an increase, it’s taking them back to the funding level where they were before,” PFC Chairman Adrian Gilmore said. “They could have asked for three times that amount.”
USSA originally requested $20,000 in membership dues but has agreed to allow a few years for the increase to occur gradually.
PFC members said they were satisfied with the budget allocation process this year.
“At the end of the day, we can come out with our head held high and smiles on our faces,” Sen. Colin Andries said. “That’s a good, workable number.”
The allocations fell well short of the $4,996,813 benchmark approved by the Senate in November. PFC members emphasized the benchmark is only a guideline.
“What we did is try to be responsible,” Gilmore said. “And by doing that the benchmark would take care of itself.”
Strawn said the benchmark is an upper guideline that is better for PFC to fall short of than exceed.
“When they come in with a benchmark, that doesn’t mean (PFC) should fill that up,” he said. “Really, you shoot high with the benchmark because you don’t want to go outside of it.”
Barring any recalls, vetoes or last-minute appeals, PFC’s budget work is done. The allocations will next be approved by the ASUO Student Senate and Executive, then by President Dave Frohnmayer and the Oregon University System.