SGA undergoes budget cuts
By: Sharon So
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: News
SGA Treasurer Emmy Fontaine '09 publicly announced at the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate meeting on Tuesday her decision to cut SGA budgets toward Spring Concert and the Ride Van.
Her statement, however, did not come as a surprise to the senators who had anticipated SGA budget cuts followed by the College's.
"I kinda knew it was coming," said Rachel Mullery '11, the Hall Senator for Abbey. "It was a problem even getting it started this year," said Mullery, regarding the Ride Van budget cuts. Although she had voted in support of the Ride Van at the beginning of the year, she believes at this point in time, cutting the Ride Van was a necessary and a smart move. She also supported SGA's decision to cut the concert funds. "We're not guaranteed the funds for the concert," she said, suggesting that the SGA funding is not enough to host a spring concert without the support from other offices.
Ten thousand dollars were cut from SGA budget originally reserved for the annual student spring concert. However, Fontaine argued that in light of the recent economic crisis, "it did not make sense for us to have it," especially when she weighed the possibility of a night of entertainment against providing more funding for organizations that need the money for activities all year round.
In the past, the spring concert has been sponsored by the President's Office, Student Programs, SGA and The Network. However, when the president's office decided to remove concert funding from their agenda and stop sponsoring future spring concerts, the budget had a "rippling effect," according to Fontaine. She decided to cancel the spring concert by cutting not only the SGA budget for it, but also cutting the funding the Network had requested for the concert.
"I'm taking the blame," said Fontaine, who repeatedly said that although many had advised her in making the decision, she had made the final decision.
Another SGA budget cut that echoed the budget cuts proposed by the President's Office was the Ride Van. The Ride Van, sponsored jointly by the President's Office and the SGA, was losing its credibility as a transportation medium that guaranteed student's safety at night.
Her statement, however, did not come as a surprise to the senators who had anticipated SGA budget cuts followed by the College's.
"I kinda knew it was coming," said Rachel Mullery '11, the Hall Senator for Abbey. "It was a problem even getting it started this year," said Mullery, regarding the Ride Van budget cuts. Although she had voted in support of the Ride Van at the beginning of the year, she believes at this point in time, cutting the Ride Van was a necessary and a smart move. She also supported SGA's decision to cut the concert funds. "We're not guaranteed the funds for the concert," she said, suggesting that the SGA funding is not enough to host a spring concert without the support from other offices.
Ten thousand dollars were cut from SGA budget originally reserved for the annual student spring concert. However, Fontaine argued that in light of the recent economic crisis, "it did not make sense for us to have it," especially when she weighed the possibility of a night of entertainment against providing more funding for organizations that need the money for activities all year round.
In the past, the spring concert has been sponsored by the President's Office, Student Programs, SGA and The Network. However, when the president's office decided to remove concert funding from their agenda and stop sponsoring future spring concerts, the budget had a "rippling effect," according to Fontaine. She decided to cancel the spring concert by cutting not only the SGA budget for it, but also cutting the funding the Network had requested for the concert.
"I'm taking the blame," said Fontaine, who repeatedly said that although many had advised her in making the decision, she had made the final decision.
Another SGA budget cut that echoed the budget cuts proposed by the President's Office was the Ride Van. The Ride Van, sponsored jointly by the President's Office and the SGA, was losing its credibility as a transportation medium that guaranteed student's safety at night.