By Alexandra Chidbachian

The Associated Students (AS) senate passed a motion to allocate $16,500 for the women’s soccer club to attend the Big West Tournament in Memphis, Tennessee, for the 2014 national playoffs.

Members of the team, coaches and supporters spoke to AS asking to financially support their travel costs. The $16,500 will cover flight, hotel and other travel accommodations for 28 members of the team.

The trip will be funded by AS’s Student Travel and Academic Research (STAR) program. $10,500 will be used for airfare, $1,500 for vehicle transportation and $3,840 for accommodations. Once the team made playoffs they have been seeking funds in order to attend the tournament without paying out of their pocket. Since the beginning of the semester they have been receiving donation letters from local companies and alumni.

“If we can’t get enough money for other expenses, then some of the girls will need to pay the money out of their pockets,” sophomore Nava Bienstock said. “We will also most likely pay $50 out of our pockets for food.”

Supporters of the team, such as family, alumni and the men’s soccer team, spoke during the public forum to encourage the AS board members and senators to fully fund the team’s expenses. Very little discussion on the topic was given from the AS board. A quick vote was given following the public forum.

Associated Students also passed a motion to allocate $18,500 for an AS Information Technology Assistant. The $18,500 will be used to fund the emergency hire temporary IT position for the next six months. During those six months, AS will be searching for an add-on to become a full time IT assistant for the AS office.

Steve DeLuca is currently the only IT technician for AS. Adding a second full time position will help ease his workload, he stated.

The emergency hire position started in November and the funding for that position will be placed in effect immediately.

The next AS meeting will take place at 9 a.m. on Monday in the USU Grand Salon.