Senators of A.S. will consider CSUN President Jolene Koester’s recommendations to restore funding for the budgets of nine campus programs on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Grand Salon.
Former A.S. president Adam Haverstock vetoed these funds in the proposed 2008-09 A.S. budget.
The degree and magnitude of the programs affected more students directly or indirectly through student organizations, Koester said as to why she asked A.S. to restore certain programs’ funding.
Koester recommended that full funding be restored for the Aquatic Center, Center of Achievement, Discover, Inquire, Grow in LA, Public Safety Escort Service, Science and Math Retention, Science and Math Retention Tutors, Student Development and International Program (SDIP), and Student Panels for an International Curriculum and Education.
Haverstock also vetoed partial amounts of the budgets of the SDIP Leadership Institute and SDPI Matador Involvement Center (MIC) Volunteer Program. Koester recommended that their budgets be restored as well.
In addition, Koester recommended that A.S. restore funding for MIC Programs and for an SDIP Graduate Assistant Organization Advising position. If restored, the funding would equate to $67,333.
Koester also advised that the budget include $12,064 for am MIC board service position to manage bulletin boards across campus.
The individual in the position would post fliers for student organization and remove improper posted materials from 15 bulletin boards and displays throughout campus, Crandall said.
Koester also advocated that A.S. not decrease the funding of athletic scholarships by $63,600, but later agreed to recommend partial funding of $27,601 to allow for a balanced budget presentation.
The $36,000 required to restore the athletic scholarships budget to its 2007-08 budget level will be allocated from funds for unbudgeted items that become available during the 2008-09 academic year.
“The reduction in funding will mean that athletes will not receive the scholarship amount promised,” said Koester in a June 16 memorandum. She lists lowered morale as one justification for restoring the athletics scholarship budget to the 2007-08 budget level, the memo shows.
Athletes may be forced to work additional hours that should be directed to academics and athletic practice and competition. Koester’s memo shows.
“My intention was to offer suggestions for consideration that allow A.S. to present a balance budget,” Koester said.
Koester’s recommendations, however, leaves $924 in the unallocated reserves fund.
“Both, I and President Segura, wanted to make sure student voices are heard,” said Koester on their collaborative effort to approve the A.S. budget.
Nareen Manoukian, 21-year-old English graduate student, agreed that the new A.S. is making a step in the right direction.
“It is ideal for everyone’s voice to be heard, but that is inefficient to hear all 30,000 people’s voices,” Manoukian said. “This is a step in the right direction for more people voices to be heard.”
“It doesn’t make sense to keep everyone dissatisfied in an effort to avoid keeping only a few satisfied,” Manoukian said.
Juan Pastor, a 26 year-old senior who is double majoring in religious studies and liberal studies, said he is torn because the budgets of some of which he is a part are being cut while other club budgets are not cut.
“I think it’s sad all of this is happening when no one is on campus,” Pastor said.
If the A.S. budget is not approved by July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, A.S. will operate on the 2007-08 A.S. budget until the new budget is approved, Crandall said.
No funding will be approved for any student club, campus department, or A.S. department that has questionable allocations of their funds.
Miguel Segura, the new A.S. president was not available for comment. Nicole Umali, the new A.S. vice president, did not wish to comment on the A.S. budget recommendations until after the June 24 Senate meeting.
