Suggested budget would aid students

By Erica Zucco

Published March 4, 2008

Next year, MU students will be one step closer to amassing all funds for the new student center.

“While there aren’t a lot of changes proposed, we’re planning for 10 to 15 percent cuts in funding for auxiliaries so that money can go toward the new center,” Missouri Students Association Vice President Chelsea Johnson said.

Johnson submitted the fiscal year 2009 budget draft and summary to the MSA Budget Committee last Thursday so that committee members could review changes and ask questions before approving the suggested budget.

Johnson said the budget process consists of several stages. In the first stage, the MSA vice president meets regularly with Student Life Fiscal Administrative Associate Cathy Hurst to discuss changes that should be made to the budget.

“Hurst typically sends me fixed costs and timelines to help with creation of the budget,” Johnson said.

The vice president then meets with department directors and MSA auxiliary chairs to discuss their requests for the upcoming fiscal year before creating an updated budget and a cover letter explaining the major changes suggested for the budget. Hurst looks over the budget, and submits it to the Budget Committee.

Throughout March, the committee must meet with groups receiving funding to present the vice president’s budget proposal and discuss potential amendments. Budget committee chairman Aaron Wynhausen said this year the committee will meet with the Box Office, Craft Studio, Board of Elections Commissioners, Department of Student Services, Department of Student Communication, Department of Student Activities, Student Fee Review Committee, KCOU/88.1 radio, MUTV/Channel 23 and representatives from the Women’s Center.

After the Budget committee reviews the budget and makes any necessary changes, the budget goes before MSA Senate for further approval.

Main changes Johnson proposed allocated more funds for student salaries, more student work positions and more Web development.

Johnson suggested an additional nine-month graduate assistant for DSS operation, explaining that it is difficult for only one GA and the adviser to put adequate time into MUTV, KCOU and STRIPES and plan the move into the new student center. This addition would cost students $10,785.

Johnson also planned for a $24,120 total increase in allocation of funds for paying DSA student workers for the work and time they put into events throughout the semester. A $7,500 suggested increase would be allocated to the DSA Speakers committee in hopes that with additional funding, the committee would be able to bring larger acts to MU.

Work done during the summer was also one of Johnson’s key focuses. Johnson suggested $7,200 be allocated to the hiring of Craft Studio student workers and one intern to pay students carrying old and heavy equipment from Brady Commons to the basement of Memorial Union in preparation for the Craft Studio’s move. Johnson also noted that the Box Office remains open in the summer, but no salary is available for the manager to hire student workers.

“This means that if the Ticket Manager were ill or unable to work at the Box Office, the Box Office would have to be closed,” Johnson stated in her cover letter.

The $3,797.50 allocation would allow the office to remain open whether or not the Ticket Manager is able to work.

In terms of technology, Johnson pointed out the need for a $31,774 increase in funds allocated to the salary for the Technical Support Director, explaining that last year the position was employed two-thirds through MSA and one-third through Jesse Auditorium, but this year MSA is responsible for completely funding the position. As for Web development, Johnson proposed a $9,608.50 increase to help create a team consisting of a Web Programmer Analyst, an Internet Administrator and a GA that would fuse information from MSA, the Organization Resource Group and the Department of Student Life.