The Student’s Association met with members from numerous on-campus organizations to finalize its fall 2013 budget on Wednesday.
This year 62 groups requested a combined total of $125,945.15. The Student’s Association was is allocated $90,000 for the fall semester and $42,808.50 of it went to the student groups. The remaining balance of the fall budget is designated in advance for SA officer salaries, conference requests and class budgets.
“Victoria and I went through and paid only for the student groups’ No. 1 priorities, and we were $10,000 over budget,” Ralston said. “It was very stressful at that point, because that’s when I realized we weren’t going to be able to fulfill everyone’s priority.”
Thirty-three congressional members attended the meeting alongside representatives from many of the student organizations of ACU. New organizations represented in the meeting were League of Wildcats, Third Culture Kids, the African Students Association and Wildcats for Sustainability.
Before the budget was debated, representatives discussed the allotment of funds in the bill. During this period, Hispanos Unidos generously offered $45 of their funding to Virtuous Sisterhood to repay an adviser.
“That’s a gesture I’ve never seen happen in the three years I’ve been in the meetings,” said Ralston. “I’m very proud of Hispanos Unidos for helping out like that.”
Benac agreed with Ralston’s claim.
“It’s an example of groups working together from the start,” he said. “They saved us a lot of potential conflict.”
SA’s proposals were initially met with little opposition, but congress and student representatives came into conflict when it was pointed out that Collegiate Entrepreneur’s Organization was receiving more funds for an event similar to one that Delta Tau Alpha was hosting for less money. The result was an amendment being passed which moved $68 to DTA, the agriculture honors society, from CEO. The amendment passed with 24 in favor, six opposed and three abstaining.
Another passed amendment moved $50 from College Republicans’ safety gear, for their planned event at a shooting range, and $200 from the Fishing Club’s apparel to Third Culture Kids. The amendment underwent an unsuccessful amendment itself to draw the funds from the Chinese Students’ and Scholars’ Association. The original amendment passed with 23 in favor, nine opposed and one abstaining.
