Two major finance committee budgets were decided at the ASUO Senate meeting last night, with one other being deferred for more work.
The Department Finance Committee returned to the Senate with the same budget it submitted last week. They also had answers to the concerns voiced by senators about the Conflict Resolution Service’s GTF.
DFC Executive Appointee Nathanael Keohane@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Nathanael+Keohane@@ addressed some of these concerns. He explained that the GTF will deal with a wide array of conflicts involving students, the types of which aren’t widely known since the meetings are all confidential. 1,038 students used this service last year.
Next, DFC member and Sen. Catherine Bruske@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Bruske@@ addressed the Senate about funding things — such as the library — that students do not have direct control over.
“Using the incidental fee to fund these things makes them more accountable because they are funded by student money,” Bruske said.
The budget was received more positively this time around. However, Sen. Jeremy Hedlund@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Jeremy+Hedlund@@ still saw a problem with some of the departments the committee funds.
“I am not rejecting the DFC budget, but I am in support of sending a message that things need to be changed,” Hedlund said.
The budget was passed with a vote of 19-0-0. The Senate then continued the meeting with hearing the EMU Board’s budget.
They were asking for an increase for two part-time technicians in the Craft Center, $18,200 for an office technician in the KWVA radio station, $18,405 to the Outdoor Program to introducing a retail aspect in the bike center and $2,459 for professional development for various groups. They were also asking for an additional $4,000 to fund a student staff member in the Cultural Forum.
“This is shoring up from where we were four years ago,” Hedlund said. “This building is falling apart.”
PFC member and Sen. Laura Hinman@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Laura+Hinman@@ spoke to the fact that the EMU is one entity that hasn’t received an increase in a long time.
“I think this financial body is at a year where it should receive an increase,” Hinman said.
Senators asked about the possibility of a renovation in the near future and if that would impact this budget should it be agreed upon. The body ensured senators that if construction starts next year, it will have no impact on this budget.
Like the DFC budget, this one was also passed by the Senate.
The last budget to be considered was the Programs Finance Committee. ASUO President Ben Eckstein informed the Senate that the ASUO Executive was going to recommend that the PFC get an additional $30,000 to allocate toward programs.
Because of this increase, PFC members requested that their budget be referred back so they could reconsider the options for allocating the money.
A few ways of doing this were considered. Hinman suggested a case-by-case basis depending on a group’s merits, but PFC member and Sen. Lindy Mabuya@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Lindy+Mabuya@@ was unsure about this method.
“If we’re going to give it to somebody, we’re going to have to give it to everyone,” she said.
PFC Programs Rep. Melissa Cohen@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Melissa+Cohen@@ ensured the Senate that if need be they would be able to meet with every group that wasn’t satisfied with their budget within the next two weeks.
Senate decided it would be best to refer the budget back to PFC and allow them to decide the best way to allocate the extra funds.