AB approves new budget suggestions
In order to offset a spilled over amount, the student government cut its recommended Fiscal Year 2013 budget by $499 Thursday during the Apportionment Board meeting.
The Apportionment Board allocated $500,000 of expected student activity fees to the Student Recreation Center, the University Board and the student government. The board’s funds are also allocated from this amount.
After the board’s March 8 meeting, the total from all of the budget recommendations came out to $500,499.
Student Body President Ed Hotwagner, a senior mathematics major, said he decided to balance the total allocation because the University Board made extensive cuts and the REC made considerable cuts in the past.
The University Board proposed a budget of $216,489, which was $24,761 less than its $241,250 budget last year.
In the fall, each board had to cut 6 percent from its budget because of decreased enrollment, and the REC cut $15,000, which is about $1,800 more than 6 percent. The REC requested $211,000 for its FY13 budget.
Hotwagner said they cut $99 from printing expenses and $400 for T-shirts, $200 from First Night T-shirts and $200 from Panther Service Day T-shirts.
“I chose to cut from these areas because I had increased the amount in these places compared to last year,” Hotwagner said. “We had a good amount of shirts at First Night but it wasn’t enough because we still ran out early. The REC and the UB have made a lot of sacrifices so I thought it would be better if student government made the cut.”
Last year, the Apportionment Board allocated $540,000, and the boards had to cut a combined $24,000 because the requested budgets totaled $564,000, Hotwagner said.
“Any kind of cut is difficult to make, but at least it wasn’t as much as last year,” he said.
After the $499 cut, the Apportionment Board unanimously approved each of the proposed budgets.
The budgets will go to the Student Senate for approval and then they will be presented to Daniel Nadler, the vice president for student affairs.
The $500,000 allocation was determined by enrollment predictions to estimate how much funding the university will receive from student activity fees.
Rachel Rodgers can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].
