A new student club funding committee and process was approved by Senate the same night it passed the Activity and Service fee budget for next year.

The 2014-2015 Budget was presented and passed at the Senate meeting on Feb. 10.

The proposed A&S Budget is $4,467,000.00, from the expected 400,000 credit hours this year.

Senator Mitchell Moore proposed an amendment to the Budget.

-$5,000 from the skate park attendant

+$4,000 Student Wellness Center equipment

+$1,000 Osprey Television rentals

Moore said we should either fund the skate park attendant for the full-time position to check ID’s and make sure the area is safe or pay someone to come out there once a day for an hour.

Moore said, “This is not a job where you go out there an hour or two a day. Just for being out there an hour or two a day doesn’t do us much good. These are key initiatives.”

Senator Ryan Hellriegal said, “If you want to account for the skate park, you need to have someone there all the time.”

“I agree with Senator Moore,” said Senator Louis Reich. “If we want to have the Student Wellness Center open longer, we need to have the equipment to let students use them. Talking about putting movies online for students, we need to make sure we have the quality of content to let them watch it.”

The amendment passed 24-8.

The budget passed with the amendment in a 29-3 vote.

Now, the budget has to be approved by SG President Carlo Fassi.

*If the budget passes at the final stage, there will be no skate park attendant funded by Student Government. Although, Campus Recreation may employ a volunteer attendant.

——————————————————————————————

New committee changes funding process for student clubs

The Club Budget Committee Creation Act, which would allow for more club funding, was presented in the Senate.

If the committee is approved by Fassi, then a chair will be appointed by the President. Eight members of the committee will be appointed, four by the Senate President, four by the SG President, for a total of nine members.

The committee will hear requests from students for an annual budget from organizations, and propose a balanced club budget to the President.

Treasurer Joseph Turner said clubs have needs that come up during the year. The current process is too long, but this will allow each organization to ask for an annual budget.

Essentially, if a club needs additional funds during the school year that exceeds its annual budget, they may ask for additional funds.

“If an organization qualifies for a national competition, they don’t know that when they propose their budget,” he said. “This allows them to gain additional funds.”

The bill was passed in a unanimous vote.

——————————————————————————————

Appointments

Attorney General: Hailey Guerra,  Sophomore, Political Science.

Fassi said he appointed Guerra because they saw more eye to eye than other applicants after she was asked to interpret a piece of legislature.

Senate: Spencer Harold, Sophomore, Business Administration.

“If I want to have any influence on the improvements on campus, this is where I want to be,” Harold said. “I want to be in the USA committee and be a part of the changes on campus and knowing what the students want.”

“I’ve not had a more eager appointee,” said Emily Antworth, Elections and Appointments Chairwoman. “He’s been working really hard to get this position.”

Email Brandon Thigpen at reporter2@unfspinnaker.com

Email Saphara Harrell at reporter30@unfspinnaker.com