MSA, KCOU disagree on how to fund tower
KCOU thinks MSA's plan is too ambitious.
Oct. 14, 2008
A meeting Monday between MSA and KCOU/88.1 FM leaders opened up communication between the two organizations, but left many issues unresolved.
Multicultural Center Director Pablo Mendoza mediated the discussion between the two organizations. Ten people participated, including five from the Missouri Students Association, four from KCOU and Mendoza.
MSA Senator Josh Travis presented a bill to the MSA Operations Committee last week that would fund a new transmitting tower for the station with $30,000 from an equipment fund that goes toward several MSA programs.
KCOU needs the tower because the current tower's power supply will be cut off when Hudson Hall closes for renovations at the end of the year. The tower will be moved to a newly renovated Schurz Hall.
MSA President Jim Kelley said he is worried MSA will be held responsible for the success or failure of KCOU when KCOU should be responsible for its own success.
KCOU Program Director Jonathan Hutcheson said KCOU has already taken steps to ensure its leadership will remain strong.
"We've already put processes in place to make sure there's a path towards strong leadership and greater involvement," Hutcheson said. "We've become more active in approaching and remedying these situations."
Kelley said MSA leaders want to see several changes before approving the funds. Although the proposed bill states KCOU shall produce 5 to 10 percent of its own budget, Kelley said he like to see a larger contribution from KCOU.
Kelley also said MSA is willing to produce one-third of the money for the new tower, but expects KCOU to come up with the other $20,000 in the next three years.
Hutcheson said that though he agrees the station should contribute money for the tower, he doesn't think it's realistic for it to come up with $20,000 in three years.
"The danger of this is if the bar is set too high, it could be discouraging if nothing is achieved," Hutcheson said. "A three-year term might be too aggressive, but a four-to-five-year term is more middle ground."
KCOU didn't use $10,000 of its budget last year, which rolled over into the KCOU, MUTV/Channel 23 and the Craft Studio equipment fund. Hutcheson said KCOU's leftover money from last year's budget should be used to help buy the new tower.
"The equipment funds purpose is to provide equipment to the organizations," Hutcheson said. "There should be a fair distribution of these funds, and KCOU has donated at least $10,000 to that fund."
MSA Vice President Chelsea Johnson said the $10,000 no longer belongs to KCOU because once the money goes into the shared equipment fund, the money doesn't belong to a specific organization.
Kelley said in the future, he wants the Department of Student Communication director and the KCOU leaders to meet on a regular basis to keep communication open between the two organizations.
Mendoza suggested that KCOU should develop a rubric to share with MSA leaders that measure goals and success.
Travis said in the meeting that if the bill passes in the Senate but Kelley vetoes it, the entire process would be extended, complicating efforts to fund the tower before blueprints are finalized for Schurz Hall.
In an e-mail to Kelley and others involved, Travis said he wants KCOU and MSA leaders to discuss the legislation at Senate committees tonight and make changes. But he said he would recommend the Senate table the bill Wednesday, though if another senator calls for a vote he will not block one.
Any senator can call the bill to a vote unless all co-sponsors agree to withdraw it.
At the meeting, Travis said if necessary he would suggest the speaker call a special session of the Senate to vote on the bill before blueprint plans must be finalized.
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