ASMSU to make second budget approval attempt

Members of the MSU yearbook staff hope a presentation informing student government representatives about its production process will result in more funding when ASMSU approves its 2008-09 budget today.

ASMSU proposed a funding cut of about $16,000 for the Red Cedar Log yearbook, which became a sticking point that contributed to a more than seven-hour meeting and eventual shelving of the budget approval one week ago.

ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.

Erika Greenia, the Red Cedar Log’s editor in chief, said the presentation is an opportunity to explain where the group spends its funding.

“Whether the budget is approved as is or not, at least they’ll understand what the Red Cedar Log is and why we want to grow.”

Michael Webber, Student Assembly chairperson, said some of the additional funding to legal services and the Student Defenders program came from the Red Cedar Log yearbook’s funding cut.

ASMSU allocated more than $12,600 more in the proposed budget for legal services, which was budgeted at $351,630.25 last year.

The group allocated $8,842 for its Student Defenders program, nearly doubling the $4,717 budgeted for the program last year.

“The situation that arose with Student Life and the judicial process made us re-look at the Student Defenders program,” Webber said. “The assembly decided it was prudent to expand the program to ensure student rights are being protected.”

The Red Cedar Log is the only ASMSU department that doesn’t pay for its labor, said Garrett Faulk, Student Assembly vice chairperson for internal affairs.

“We felt to single out the Red Cedar Log as one organization that we pay externally is an improper use of the policy implemented in the past with other organizations,” Faulk said.

Webber said the assembly would decide what action to take if it is unable to approve the budget today.

“We’re going to try as much as possible to discourage the assembly from tabling the bill,” Webber said.

Faulk said the assembly could choose to form an executive committee during the summer to approve the budget, but the assembly can’t delay approving the budget any longer.

“Several organizations need the budget in concrete for the summer so they can do things in preparation for next year,” Faulk said.

Published on Wednesday, April 23, 2008