UA approves 2001-02 government budget

The Undergraduate Assembly unanimously approved the 2001-2002 academic year student government budget on Sunday night, decreasing its own discretionary funds by $8,000. Overall, the $1.1 million student government budget increased by 4.9 percent compared to last year's numbers. The major budget amendments approved on Sunday will affect the budgets of the Nominations and Elections Committee, the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and the Social Planning and Events Committee. However, little change occurred in the class boards' budgets. The UA reduced its own discretionary fund -- money often used to co-sponsor events -- from $10,000 to $2,000. Various student groups come to the UA and request money from the discretionary fund when Student Activities Council funds or corporate sponsors cannot cover enough. In order to do this, the UA approved a new bylaw that states, "the standard UA co-sponsorship for student events is $200." The UA hopes to keep co-sponsorships to a minimum, saying in the bylaw proposal that the UA should be "further removed from its role as an outside funding body." But, at the same time, the UA would like student groups to continue to have access to the money previously allocated to the discretionary fund. "We want that $8,000 to still be available for groups to come and request," UA Treasurer and Engineering junior Michael Krouse said, noting that the $8,000 lost by the UA has been allocated to SPEC co-sponsorship funds. The NEC received an additional $2,000 for the two inserts after Engineering senior and SPEC Chairman Theo LeCompte agreed that SPEC would reduce speakers' payments by $2,000 to help the NEC pay for help laying out the inserts. Changes to the NEC's budget give the group more money for inserts in The Daily Pennsylvanian each fall and spring during the elections process. Traditionally, the group's budget includes funding for two inserts of candidate statements, photos and other elections material. The UA reduced the amount SCUE was granted for computer supplies, stationery and telephone expenses. The budget approval process began with each student government group's request for funds. Krouse, with the UA budget committee and UA members, then worked to reconcile the requests with the funds the UA was willing to grant. Student leaders expressed satisfaction with the final student government budget. "I feel like the budget was entirely fair, and that there was a lot of cooperation among the different student groups and a willingness to help each other out," Wharton senior and NEC Chair Nick Goad said. LeCompte said SPEC also applauded the results.. "We're very pleased with it," he said. "We received a small increase, and we're excited because we're now able to continue with the events that we've managed to implement this year."