The deficit is the result of a failure to pay off large expenditures from previous councils, as well as an over-allocation of funds five years ago that totaled almost $110,000.
To address the debt, council held negotiations to make internal budget cuts that amounted to 5 percent for each A.S. office. Council agreed that the entire deficit could not be addressed in one year. The Guardian reported on Oct. 8 that Cassella and other officers created a 10-year plan to gradually reduce the financial burden.
Cassella hopes that the effect of the cuts on student activities will be minimal. “It’s hard to hide $150,000 in cuts,” Cassella said. “But our goal is to pursue a plan that has the least impact on students’ experiences at UCSD.”
Council has already cut funding to student organizations from $500 to $100.
A.S. Council is looking for ways to conduct student events more efficiently. The 2012-13 A.S. Funding Guide now includes a structure for funding requests that allocates financing based on expected student attendance. Smaller events can request up to $150 in funds, while funding for events that have over 500 students will be capped at $9,000. Cassella hopes that an emphasis on accountability will prevent cutting student events altogether.
Council has also instituted an underwriting policy that allows student organizations to apply for interest-free loans up to $10,000, as long as they repay the loan within 60 days. In the event that the organization does not repay its underwrite, the VP Finance can order a hold on the principal members’ academic registrations.
