MSA to give MUTV computers, camera
May 9, 2008
Junior Lee White attempts to configure an old computer on April 28 in the MUTV/Channel 23 office. MUTV received $12,000 for new equipment from the Missouri Students Association Senate.
After its request for funds from the Student Fee Capital Improvement Committee was denied, MUTV got some help from MSA to buy equipment that leaders say will make the station stronger.
On April 30, the Missouri Students Association Senate passed legislation to allocate $12,000 from its contingency and reserve funds for fiscal year 2007 to student-run television station MUTV/Channel 23.
“It was coming from money that had already been saved up to use for equipment for the new student center,” MSA Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays said. “It was really just a question of whether to spend it when they need it now, in 2008, or to spend it in 2011.”
MUTV General Manager Sarah Schultz said the station had expected to receive funding from the SFCIC to cover the costs of two new computers, one new camera and a logo generator to add to the equipment the station currently has. Schultz said the station has grown in size over the past year from an original staff of about 40 students to a group of about 120.
“I won’t ask for money that I don’t need,” Schultz said. “The equipment we’re requesting serves a lot of students and can be used for five, six, seven and maybe more years. The things we are planning to buy are investments.”
Schultz said last year, the committee approved MUTV’s proposal to purchase two new computers, both of which have helped the station increase productivity.
“However, with the increased number of students, we need more computers and another camera to continue that trend,” Schultz said. “We have students working on those computers from 8 a.m. until 2 a.m., because that’s when they can find editing time.”
When MUTV learned that SFCIC had declined this year’s proposal, Schultz contacted MSA and along with MSA leaders, wrote legislation asking that MSA allocate $12,000 from the contingency and reserve fund of the fiscal year 2007 budget to the station. Of that, $4,000 would go to the purchase of a new Canon XL2 camera, and $8,000 would go to the purchases of two new Apple Mac Pro computers.
Schultz said MUTV did not list these equipment needs in its MSA budget proposal because they thought they would be able to procure the funding from SFCIC.
SFCIC has completed all of this year’s fund allocation recommendations, and 21 of the 27 parties that requested funding received some or all of the funds in their proposals. SFCIC faculty member Julia Gaines said the committee has the final say on how funds are allocated. SFCIC creates a proposal and submits it to Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs for approval.
Each year, any MU student, faculty or staff member or organization that has an idea for a way to improve MU through new equipment, furniture or another avenue that requires funding, can submit a proposal to SFCIC. Submissions must include a description of how much money is needed, what will be purchased with the money and how it would benefit MU.
After proposals are turned in and their creators presented justifications for their requests to the committee, SFCIC begins the decision-making process. Gaines said the committee considers a variety of factors when selecting how to allocate funds.
“We have about 10 questions we always discuss when comparing all of the proposals,” Gaines said. “First we always consider how many students will be affected by the proposal. We like proposals that affect the greatest number of students.”
Gaines said other factors considered include the merit of the proposal, the quality of the presentation given by the party requesting funds, and whether or not the organization could obtain funding elsewhere; if it cannot, the committee is sometimes more likely to allocate funds.
“We also look at the timeline for the organization’s goals, and when they’d need to spend the money,” Gaines said. “Sometimes funds are needed immediately but sometimes they can be given in later years, so we also look to see if time is a big priority.”
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