The Students’ Association granted over $41,000 to various student organizations this semester in their budget meeting on Wednesday.
Executive Treasurer Joseph Austin, along with Chief Financial Officer Kevin Coldewey, spent the last four weeks meeting with campus groups to discuss their expenses for the semester. Combining the needs of student groups with SA’s own expenses, Austin and Coldewey presented the comprehensive budget as a bill to Congress.
Last semester, student groups spent 96% of the money they were granted by SA. Austin, senior accounting and pre-law major from Houston, said SA doesn’t get any unused money back to use later.
“SA is granted $90,000 dollars every semester, and these funds do not rollover from semester to semester,” Austin said.
ACU Lacrosse, a new organization, both requested and were granted the most money, asking for $18,070 and receiving $3,850. Extra money was granted from SA’s office supplies budget after a mathematical mistake was discovered in the bill, bringing the total up to $4,125. Lacrosse members received some push back from Congress, but were ultimately supported due to their extensive planning and growing number of members.
Only one organization, Wildlife Society, was granted its full request. It was given all $100 it asked for.
Congress came into conflict over Wishing Well. Due to a miscommunication, Wishing Well leaders did not meet with Austin to discuss their budget before Wednesday’s meeting. They were initially granted $200 of their requested $1,050. Congress argued for around an hour about providing Wishing Well with more funds. Ultimately, Austin modified his bill by removing $200 from Omega Dance Company and granting it to Wishing Well. Blair Agan, Edwards Hall representative, successfully proposed to move an additional $30 to Wishing Well from the Outdoor Club and the American Society of Interior Designers , bringing the total to $430.
SA Executive President Rebecca Dial also provided an update on the recycling bins SA paid for last semester.
“Three bins needed to be painted so they could be placed on campus,” said Dial, senior political science major from Lexington, S.C. “They’re going to be placed in front of Teague for a while, and then they’re going to eventually be across East North 16.”
SA meetings are conducted on Wednesdays at 5:15 p.m. in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building Room 114 and are public.
Two representatives did not attend the meeting on Wednesday:
J.P. Festa, Barrett Hall representative
Andrew Saucedo, Onstead-Packer BSB representative
