Student Publications took center stage during Friday’s Student Fee Advisory Committee meeting, where recommendations were made as to which organizations should receive a one-time allocation for funding.
Student Publications asked for a one-time allocation of $100,000 in addition to its regular request of $181,124 in funding during Tuesday’s meeting.
“This is a hard thing to do, but our revenue is down,” Student Publications Director Richard Cigler said Tuesday.
Vice President of Student Services Elwyn Lee said Friday it was disappointing and a surprise that Student Publications had such a big shortfall.
“The budgeting could have been a little bit more prudent,” Lee said. “There should have been some course adjustments before we got to this point.”
Lee said he was not happy to find out about the shortfall in funding during the SFAC meeting. Although the commitee expected the organization would need additional funding, he said it did not expect this much.
“I cannot come here and be happy about finding out belatedly about the magnitude of the shortfall,” Lee said. “Flags should have been laid much higher. Adjustments should have been made.”
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Diane Murphy said she was expecting a shortfall of $85,000, but was told Student Publications could get it under $50,000.
“They have really fought revenues from their advertising,” Murphy said. “Their advertising dollars have taken a shot in the foot and the nose.”
Murphy also said since the budgets are not allowed to have negatives, SFAC would have to give some money to cover Student Publications’ shortfall. Otherwise, the money would have to come from somewhere else.
Lee said Student Publications is important, but that SFAC can’t be “backed up against a wall” by an organization requesting so much money.
“It is too much money,” Lee said. “If you were of the mind to give them the one-time request, I would put the trust in my office that I would report back to you about how much is being used and the budget.”
“They have a plan, and I’ve read it, but I would actually like to go over there and go dollar by dollar to review the budget. This is a lot of money for a one-time use.”
SFAC will meet today to deliberate on all organizations’ request for funding.
