Organized activities at UW-Eau Claire requested just short of $2.5 million Wednesday and Thursday before the Student Senate Finance Commission.
“There weren’t a lot of surprises,” finance director Chad Wade said.
The largest jump in requested funds came from Student Health Services, according to Senate documents.
| “There weren’t a lot of surprises.” –Chad Wade Finance Commission director, on this year’s budget requests |
Health Services received $855,000 for its 2003-2004 budget.
For the 2004-2005 budget, the organization requested $990,000.
Wade said Health Services wants to get rid of its current deficit of about $60,000 in one year, which would require a higher allocation than last year by the Senate Finance Commission.
Director of Health Services Laura Chellman could not be reached Friday for comment.
Athletics also requested an increase in funding, but is taking a different approach to paying off its $219,000 deficit.
“The feeling is athletics needs to write a balanced budget,” Wade said. “Once there is a balanced budget, we can work on getting (the deficit) down.”
A request of $52,500 for athletics and recreation facilities improvement cleared the 2004-2005 budget. The average budget during the last three years has been about $101,500.
Interim Athletics Director Tim Petermann could not be reached Friday for an interview.
Student Radio Initiative requested a large percentage increase from last year, jumping from $4,200 to $7,200.
“SRI is looking for a better way to finance itself instead of asking for more segregated fees each year,” said senior Ryan West, SRI’s president.
Aside from segregated fees, SRI is looking to fund itself by throwing concerts, West said.
SRI’s goal is to attract groups or bands the group has had contact with from the radio and potentially attract groups, such as Sage Francis, “to bring in and actually make money with,” he said.
Overall, Wade said organizations’ requests for the upcoming budget held few surprises.
“It was basically what they asked for in previous years or a smaller increase for operating costs – things like that,” he said.
The Senate Finance Commission will agree upon a tentative amount and send out notices to organizations at the end of the week, finance commission member Dawn Snyder said. Organizations will have a chance to appeal within the week of Nov. 19. Adding the amount of money allocated to each organization will occur at the beginning of next year.
The Children’s Center and The Spectator were the only organizations to request less funding this year.
