Money was on everyone’s mind at last night’s A.S. Council meeting, which opened with the introduction of another add-on to the proposed A.S. Activity Fee Referendum that would help sustain programming at the Loft in Price Center East by University Events Office Director Martin Wollesen.

The proposal calls for an additional $2 per student per quarter to be tacked onto the referendum to provide funding that is necessary for programming at the Loft after its temporary funding runs out at the end of this quarter. The funds that the fee would supply would primarily go toward paying the artists’ performance fees.

Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Life Gary R. Ratcliffe explained that while the space for the $3-million Loft was purchased with available resources, there were unfortunately no resources to permanently support the operation of the venue as a nightclub.

“We really took advantage of an opportunity that was important for the campus in creating a much stronger university community,” Wollensen said. “Our goal is to create this presence and prominence at a national level.”

Wollesen pointed out the uniqueness of the Loft as a restaurant and performance-space nightclub, stating that there is no other place quite like it in San Diego or at any other university campus. He added that the Loft could provide students with great experiences for little to no cost, on the condition that the referendum passes.

Trailing Wollesen’s special presentation, Associate Vice President of Programming Garrett Berg presented the council with a draft of the 2008 Sun God Festival report and quickly rattled off the points of the festival that need refining.

He assured that A.S. Programming would be working diligently to amend the many problems that plagued last year’s festival, including the availability of campus shuttles the day of the festival and the limited number of wristbands that had caused such uproar among the student body. He was also particularly determined to do away with barring re-entry to RIMAC Field by a certain time.

He told council that the Programming Office would start planning the logistics of this year’s Sun God Festival as soon as the final draft of the report is finished.

During oral reports, A.S. President Donna Bean successfully motioned to table voting on the A.S. Activity Fee Referendum until next week to allow for more time for A.S. council-members to discuss it with the college councils this week.

Berg publicized the Bear Garden that is taking place this Friday, which is one of the first events to kick off the university’s first-ever Homecoming Weekend.

Revisions to the A.S. Executive Budget rolled around, and council-members picked apart the proposed changes and recommended minor changes to the wording of various line items. Discussion snagged when Vice President of External Affairs Lisa Chen’s motion to have members of her staff receive increased weekly stipends was called into question. The motion failed after a lengthy dispute.