2008 Woodie Awards
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VFSA's budget is unfair to other groups
Editorial
by Emerald Editorial Board |
Tensions are high in the ASUO this week. After a year that started off fairly well, the recent debate over the Veterans and Family Student Association's $6,960 budget has heated up and does not appear to be ending soon.
After a contentious week, the PFC recalled the VFSA budget for the second time. The meeting, which will be held Friday night, will likely result in a smaller increase than the $6,960 total budget that was allocated on Monday.
The problem began when the PFC allocated $6,660 to the VFSA at Monday night's recall hearing to add to their starting budget of $300. That budget is more than 23 times larger than what new groups normally receive, and the PFC was wrong to give any group, let alone a new one, such a disproportionately large increase.
While the $300 normally given to new groups isn't an amount written into the ASUO Constitution, the tradition exists for a reason. New groups have no spending history, and the PFC has no way of knowing whether they will spend responsibly. The VFSA is in a slightly different position, having already done a good deal of fundraising and showing the potential for growth, which is rare for a new group. These special circumstances would justify a budget of more than $300, but not nearly $7,000. Former Sen. and PFC member Steven Wilsey's suggestion of $3,000 is a good compromise. As Wilsey said, most groups receive between $3,000 and $5,000 from the PFC, so the compromise would reward the group's planning and fundraising without going overboard.
We can understand the argument for giving this year's new groups the chance at a slightly bigger increase to allow for more programming, but Monday night's increase was completely unfair to every other group. The PFC has the chance to rectify this on Friday and should take advantage of the situation.
The PFC this year was in a unique position of being able to give programs extra money to allow for growth while reducing the incidental fee. The Career Center is in the process of being absorbed by the University, allowing the PFC to decrease its funding from student fees by $91,251.
After a contentious week, the PFC recalled the VFSA budget for the second time. The meeting, which will be held Friday night, will likely result in a smaller increase than the $6,960 total budget that was allocated on Monday.
The problem began when the PFC allocated $6,660 to the VFSA at Monday night's recall hearing to add to their starting budget of $300. That budget is more than 23 times larger than what new groups normally receive, and the PFC was wrong to give any group, let alone a new one, such a disproportionately large increase.
While the $300 normally given to new groups isn't an amount written into the ASUO Constitution, the tradition exists for a reason. New groups have no spending history, and the PFC has no way of knowing whether they will spend responsibly. The VFSA is in a slightly different position, having already done a good deal of fundraising and showing the potential for growth, which is rare for a new group. These special circumstances would justify a budget of more than $300, but not nearly $7,000. Former Sen. and PFC member Steven Wilsey's suggestion of $3,000 is a good compromise. As Wilsey said, most groups receive between $3,000 and $5,000 from the PFC, so the compromise would reward the group's planning and fundraising without going overboard.
We can understand the argument for giving this year's new groups the chance at a slightly bigger increase to allow for more programming, but Monday night's increase was completely unfair to every other group. The PFC has the chance to rectify this on Friday and should take advantage of the situation.
The PFC this year was in a unique position of being able to give programs extra money to allow for growth while reducing the incidental fee. The Career Center is in the process of being absorbed by the University, allowing the PFC to decrease its funding from student fees by $91,251.
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