The third Programs Finance Committee meeting got off to a significantly warmer start than the previous two days. The back-to-back meetings, which took more than five hours in the EMU Rogue Room, went off without a hitch, with most groups receiving raises for the 2003-04 academic year.
First up was Hawaii Club, whose two representatives requested funding increases for advertising, postage and a booth at the Lane County Fair. PFC approved an increase of 8.84 percent, sending the group’s yearly budget to $6,120.
The African Student Association, which arrived with five members, requested increases for posters and three planned discussion groups. PFC granted an increase over the group’s recent budget year, dilating its spending power to $854.
There was much deliberation concerning the budget for the linguistics group, GLOSS, represented by two members and ASUO controller Sara Henderson. The group’s budget requested increases in postage and travel fees to bring speakers to its colloquium series of events.
After an initial motion to increase the group’s budget by $256 failed, Henderson urged PFC to remember that its funding decisions would set a precedent for other fledgling student groups. PFC eventually approved increases of 60 percent — a total of $480.
Campus gadfly Bruce Miller made his presence well-known throughout the evening, especially during the International Law Students Association presentation. At one point he questioned the validity and existence of the ILSA’s law publication. The group requested budget increases to increase campus awareness of the publication. In the end, the group received a 26 percent funding increase for a total of $1,187. PFC members told the group to focus its fundraising efforts on the student community as a whole, not just on the law school.
Miller echoed these sentiments.
“When you’re on the open market, put your finger in the air,” he said.
Other groups receiving funding increases included the Constitution Court, which was granted a 21.94 percent raise for a total budget of $4,957. The Athletic Department Finance Committee’s budget increased 20.18 percent, to $2,953. The Latino/Latina Law Student Association budget was enlarged by a slight 6.14 percent to its new total of $311.
The Committee for Musical Arts, and its sole representative Matthew Svoboda, saw no funding changes, and will receive the same $4,905 it received last year.
Only two groups received funding decreases during the course of the night. House of Film, whose lone representative Bryan Buck requested a decrease for the group, said that past funding for the student group had been misappropriated. The group’s funding was dropped 67.27 percent to $90.
Finally, the Korean Students Assocation lost 3.21 percent of their funding in the last hearing of the evening. It will receive $1,510 for the coming school year.