The ASUO Programs Finance Committee wrapped up the first week of its annual budget process Thursday, approving budgets for only half the groups it heard, tabling the budget hearings for four organizations and de-funding another for not showing up.
For the past week, the seven-member committee has been allocating student incidental fee funds for ASUO programs. It will continue this process throughout January.
The greatest controversy of the night involved the American Advertising Federation Ad Club and the legal question of whether or not the group was qualified to be funded through incidental fees. The group was tabled after the PFC learned that members of the Ad Club are also enrolled in a class that creates projects, which are entered into annual Ad Club competitions. If this is the case, normally funding should come from tuition fees, according to PFC member Aaron Weck.
The group also failed to disclose funding received through the journalism department, and the PFC will continue the Ad Club’s hearing after the two issues are studied further.
The PFC also tabled hearings for the Pre-Law Society, Hawaii Club and Women’s Law Forum because of concerns about the groups’ mission statements or account transactions.
Liz Bobek, treasurer of the WLF, said communication between her group and the PFC had been inefficient, which was the main source of confusion.
“I think the law school hasn’t had a fluid enough information line about what the committee expects,” she said.
The biggest budget increase of $9,500 was allocated to the Oregon Marching Band, which plans to buy cases for new instruments. The PFC also voted not to fund the Japanese Students Organization because it failed to appear for the hearing.
Groups have five business days to appeal the budgets PFC has approved for them. They may do this after the initial PFC meetings have been completed.
PFC chair Mary Elizabeth Madden said this night caused the most conflict of all three budget hearings because many of the groups had questionable spending practices, but the long process is necessary.
“There’s so much debate about student fees,” she said. “We want to make sure that if the question rises again, we can defend it.”