The Programs Finance Committee brought its reworked budget back to the ASUO Senate Wednesday night, representing a 15.4 percent increase along with $3,000 in unallocated reserves, which .
ASUO President Ben Eckstein suggested adding $1,500 to professional development staff that work in the ASUO office. This created an unusual @@editorializing?@@alliance when ASUO Sen. Kaitlyn Lange and Dean of Students Paul Shang agreed with Eckstein.
“I have seen the benefit of having professional development, and it needs to be there,” Lange said.
Shang agreed, saying such support is something that has been severely lacking since his time at the University.
PFC members were reticent to allocate the funds, due to the fact that this group didn’t follow the PFC process and grow like the rest of the programs.
“There are other groups, specifically the Men’s Center and Women’s Center, that could use professional development,” PFC member and ASUO Sen. Laura Hinman said.
After much deliberation, Senate voted to add the funds to the initial budget, bringing it to a 15.6 percent increase. The amended budget was passed.
Earlier in the meeting, ASUO Sen. Vania Loredo was chosen to take the ASUO Senate spot on the University’s presidential advising committee. Only one spot on the committee was allocated.
At last week’s meeting, Sen. Alexandra Flores-Quilty and Loredo were nominated, and both candidates got the chance to speak to their qualifications.
“I have been there for four years, and this is my last term with all of you,” Loredo said. “I believe I am qualified to sit on this committee.”
Flores-Quilty explained that she has already been involved in this process and worked hard to create an all-student advisory committee.
After sending both nominees out of the room, Loredo was chosen to fill the position.
“Both candidates are extremely qualified, but Vania brings a perspective we haven’t heard before,” said ASUO Sen. Lindy Mabuya.@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Lindy+Mabuya@@ “She has this way about her that is really objective, and I respect that.”
After the confirmation, the Women’s Center came forth with a special request asking for $15,000 to host an Outloud Music Fest@@http://www.myspace.com/outloudfestuk@@ on June 9 in Ken Kesey Square in downtown Eugene.@@http://www.supportows.org/blog/occupy-oregon/revive-eugenes-kesey-square-2/@@ The festival would highlight acceptance of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Queer Alliance community through song.
Group members shared testimonials about how the festival has reached them. Marty Minnich,@@http://pages.uoregon.edu/women/staff.html@@ the LGBTQA issues coordinator for the Women’s Center, spoke about the effect the festival has had on the LGBTQA community as a whole.
“We are considered an at-risk community, but we are gaining ground,” Minnich said. “If we don’t take time to celebrate this, we will become exhausted and we will burn out.”
DFC member at-large Matthew Miyamoto@@asuo.uoregon.edu/uploads/files/…/1251/DFCBudgetHearingUOTheatre.doc@@ shared a story about the loss of a friend in the LGBTQA community. Miyamoto brought tears to many people’s eyes and urged Senate to pass the request.
“There are not many things people could spend their money on that are worth more than opportunity to save someone’s life, and that is what this event offers,” he said. “This reaches out to people and says, ‘You belong here, we care about you.’ The money is beyond worth it.”
The request was passed.