The ASUO Programs Finance Committee’s Tuesday meeting ran an hour overtime and had all the elements of a television drama: laughter, tears and lots of money.
“Is there any other discussion?” asked PFC programs appointee Joy Nair toward the end of the evening. Hearing no reply, she voiced her own:
“Thank the lord.”
The evening began with the Women’s Center asking for a 9.75 percent increase in its budget. While the Women’s Center pushed for more money to support a lesbian festival, PFC stood firm.
“I don’t feel that I could support any more than the motion that’s on the table,” PFC at-large member James Tilford said. The motion he was referring to still gave the Women’s Center a substantial increase of 8.71 percent.
PFC passed the motion, giving the Women’s Center $136,097 for the 2003-04 year.
Student Senate presented its proposed budget with a little extra flair. Senate ombudsman Andy Elliott recited the funding request in poetic form.
“There once was a body called senate Who had lots of money but spent it,” he began.
Elliott’s creative efforts received laughter and applause, but PFC made clear to the senate it would not, in any way, be favored over other groups.
“We hold all groups to the same standards,” PFC Chairwoman Kate Shull said in response to a question over the possibility of a 100 percent increase in office supplies. PFC members said they would not grant such a large increase because it would violate precedent.
The senate walked away with $25,771 — 24.03 percent more than last year.
PFC also heard a budget proposal from its own Kate Shull, asking for money for PFC.
Nair lead the proceeding and even suggested PFC do some fundraising of its own.
“I think in the spring it would be a fun gift to next year’s PFC to do a bake sale — to show we (fundraise) too, ” she said.
PFC granted itself $9,311, a 15.41 percent increase.
The Student Bar Association, also known as the ASUO of the law school, presented its budget to PFC. The hearing went an hour longer than expected when arguments over how much money PFC should give to the group’s Moot Court split PFC in half.
“The problem that we are facing is we’re under quite a few mandated constraints this year,” Shull said.
Nair agreed and suggested SBA fundraise more money.
“I feel if SBA is the Executive of the law school … what the Executive does is fundraise $20,000 for program support, and the Executive supports 150 different groups on this campus,” she said.
PFC finally allocated SBA $9,822 — a 14.58 percent increase — which passed with a 4-3-0 vote.
PFC praised MEChA, but the committee was again constricted to previous spending patterns when it allocated MEChA funds for 2003-04.
“We’re all so happy with the work you’re doing, but we have to go by the numbers,” Nair said, acting as chairwoman for the MEChA meeting.
PFC senator seat No. 3 Mike Sherman agreed, saying “exponential spending does not warrant exponential funding.”
PFC granted MEChA a 14.17 percent increase, for a total budget of $18,845.
The YWCA was the only group to walk away from the meeting with a funding decrease, receiving $6,603 — a 7.46 percent decrease.
The Student Recreation Center received $697,147, a 29.72 percent increase.
The Student Insurgent was tabled due to time constraint, and the University Theatre was tabled until the group could provide more information on a summer camp for children to PFC.
Ali Shaughnessy is a freelance writer
for the Emerald.