USG proposes changes to budget after past problems

The USG Senate met Wednesday to propose changes to the budget for this coming year. Senator Ed Courchain warned that the budget for the last few years was actually greater than the revenue generated by USG, and this inequity was supported by a surplus of $300,000. This year that surplus has run out so the budget required many cuts. Courchain assured the senators that the cuts were carefully planned not to be adverse. The area council budget was cut by $5000. Courchain explained that there has been little regulation in the past for what the money was used for and plans to institute a new system for area councils to apply for funding.

There was a possibility for the vote to be postponed because initially there were not a majority of senators present to pass any motions. “This is a one time problem,” said USG President Steve Petkis. “There are some senators elected last fall who are still counted as senators just for this meeting, which increases the number of senators needed for voting. This won’t happen again since it looks like all the new senators are here.”
One thousand dollars was newly allotted to the senators, for their use in funding events at town council meetings and advertisements.

“This money is for you senators to do your jobs better” said Courchaine.

The late arrival of a senator prevented that and the budget was passed unanimously.

The funding act for the first funding session of this year was also passed. $107,000 of the $421,000 in the budget for the funding board was allocated for the first session, which lasts till October 25th.

“We just approved $107,000 dollars of funding for on campus events and organizations, so this is a good thing. We are not a bank, we are a government, we work for the students,” said Senator Courchaine of the Funding Act.

Some of the main goals of USG for the year mentioned by the Senators include counteracting the rising costs of admission, and the reopening of spring weekend for safe campus celebrations.

The senate plans to “create a ruckus in Hartford” about the matter, and to bring in support for UConn students from the state government.

President Petkis also wants to fight for student organizations to be able to use university space on spring weekend to host events.

“I would like students to get out on the lawn to have fun; I want to see concerts, art shows, cultural events and a lot more. We might not be able to do all that this year, but I at least want to get it going.”

Dr. Saddlemire director of Student Affairs addressed the senate and expressed similar wishes. “We really want to know what you want to do with spring weekend, where you want to go with that. Instead of what has been the case in the past, I want us to have a sense of what the priorities are before the end of September. We really want to work with you to turn this thing in a positive direction,” he said.