In a reprieve from the slogging debates that marked last year’s budget meeting, a fresh A.S. Council passed its 2007-08 executive budget in comparatively short order. Though councilmembers clashed over funding priorities at the May 30 meeting – particularly regarding cuts to Triton Tide, as well as the limited increase in allocations to student organizations – the budget submitted by A.S. President Marco Murillo passed with only minor modifications.
Triton Tide Director Dave Payne was part of a contingent of councilmembers defending the athletics support program from budget cuts. During the meeting, senators and executives debated the allocations, which culminated in a $3,000 cut to the program.
The first sparks flew when Triton Tide Director Dave Payne recommended that $3,600 be reallocated from council stipends to his organization. A chorus of councilmembers immediately objected, and the measure was axed by Associate Vice President Finance and Resources Sarah Chang, who cited restrictions on the use of the STIP funds, which pay for stipends.
Tensions again escalated when several councilmembers proposed cuts to Triton Tide’s $16,000 budget item, pointing to last February’s successful athletics fee referendum, which increased the athletics department’s annual operating budget to over $6.6 million. Payne argued vehemently that, unlike the athletics department, Triton Tide is organized and run entirely by students. He also pointed to annual decreases in funding for the program over the past few years, including what was supposed to be a one-time $2,500 cut last year that paid for the A.S. special election. But many councilmembers recast the terms of the debate, focusing on the external effects of a padded Triton Tide budget.
“”If a student org gets their funding cut, who else can they turn to for funding but A.S.?”” Thurgood Marshall College Council Chair Lana Blank said. “”But if Triton Tide gets its funding cut, who do they turn to? A $6 million athletics budget.””
Several other councilmembers echoed the sentiment; Sixth College Senator John Cressey argued for greater student control through a partnership between the athletics department and Triton Tide.
“”Control of student fees is great, but how students would run [the athletics] program is not necessarily in opposition to how the athletics department would spend the money,”” Cressey said. “”Two groups that have the same goal should be able to get along.””
After extended debate that ranged from the specifics of Triton Tide expenditures to the mandate provided by the fee referendum, the council approved a $3,000 reallocation from Triton Tide to the student org programming unallocated line item.
Additional student org funds – $1,900 – came from cuts to cultural tradition events. But many representatives were unhappy with the limited hike in student-org funding, citing the elimination of direct A.S. payments to the college councils – funds that are typically used by the councils to pay for external student orgs.
“”We cut funding to the colleges with the understanding that S.O.L.O. orgs would not have to ask councils for money,”” Cressey said. “”How can we keep funding for student organizations the same while we increase funding college festivals by thousands of dollars?””
While acknowledging the central importance of student organizations, Murillo defended the allocations by pointing out that college councils can – and should, in accordance with last year’s council restructuring – rely on individual referenda for their desired student org funding rather than A.S. money.
With considerably less debate, the council also cut $3,000 from the WinterFest celebration. Roundly acknowledging the weak attendance at the all-campus concert, councilmembers tossed around ideas of converting WinterFest into a smaller event featuring comedy performances or other entertainment. With all six colleges expected to put on individual concerts next year – a first-time occurrence – the council decided to divert the funds to the college concerts line item.
Also approved was a $30 boost to the stipend for A.S. president, to $150 per week. The measure encountered limited resistance from a handful of councilmembers, who felt the money would be better spent on student orgs. After a lighthearted debate, the motion passed with the hopes it would encourage presidential candidates from a wider range of economic backgrounds.
