ALLENDALE, MI- The budgets for the Media Council, culture and sports organizations faced drastic changes as the Grand Valley State Student Senate began initial discussions on the 2011-2012 student life budgets during their General Assembly meeting last Thursday.
In the first of three meetings that will finalize the million dollar student life budget for next year, the Student Senate Finance committee presented a base budget which outlined several proposed changes affecting the amount of money allocated to various student
organizations, clubs and professional societies.
“This was an exceptional presentation put on by the finance committee today,” said Executive Vice President John Way.
During the presentation, each member of the Finance committee dissected the proposed changes for the categorized councils. Although roughly 11 of the councils faced changes to their funds, the most notable changes were proposed for the budgets of The Media Council, culture based organizations and sports clubs.
Under the proposed budget for the Media Council which includes the Grand Valley Lanthorn, GVTV and Grand Valley Radio, the council would see their allocation rise 17.86 percent from last year and level off at $66,000. According to Finance Committee head Alyssa Tierney, the jump would help pay for new equipment for both GVTV and Grand Valley Radio as well as help the struggling Lanthorn.
“We feel that it is important for Grand Valley students to have a student run newspaper,” Tierney said, “It is our goal for the Lanthorn to continue to print twice each week.”
According to Tierney, $48,000 would be allocated for the Lanthorn while $4,000 would go to GVTV and Grand Valley Radio respectively. The fact that so much of the budget was allocated to the student run newspaper provided one of the few causes of discussion throughout the course of the presentation.
“It’s been frustrating to see the money spent [by the Lanthorn] in a very poor way,” Way said shortly after Tierney said she didn’t recommend the Lanthorn to add or take away anything.
The Lanthorn has been hurt lately with poor advertising sales and rising print costs.
Although the Media Council saw increased funding under the proposed budget, another struggling organization isn’t expected to see the same result as culture organizations are faced with a deduction in their allocation.
“As of now there is $31,000 left in the budget,” said Finance committee member Logan Brenk, “We are currently losing organizations and there is a lack or requests to join, we have never gone over our budget.”
The allocation for culture organizations is expected to decrease from the $88,000 it had last year, to a number roughly around $75,000.
While culture organizations are on the downswing, sports clubs have seen substantial increases in members, interest and attention given from the University. The budget for sports clubs makes up the largest portion of the student life budget and it is expected to increase for 2011-2012. Under the proposed budget the allocation would increase to $358,000.
“[Grand Valley] Administration has shown more interest in upgrading the athletic facilities, President Hass has made upgrading the athletic facilities a priority and has added it on the his list of future goals,” said Senator Brennen Gorman following the meeting.
The university has already added numerous additions, including recently adding a spring intramural season to counter its rising popularity. Over the summer the school installed new astro-turf intramural fields and in 2008 a $50 million indoor turf building was finished.
According to Gorman, although the numbers in the proposed budget are only estimates, the overall student life budget from Student Senate will total to approximately $1 million. Other proposed changes involve increases to the budgets of honorary societies, Interfaith, performing arts and special interest groups. It is also expected that Greek life will see its budget rise to $30,000, as the change is expected to help accommodate three new organizations that will move onto Grand Valley within the year.
The Finance committee planned to have a meeting on Tuesday to address further changes to the budget
In the first of three meetings that will finalize the million dollar student life budget for next year, the Student Senate Finance committee presented a base budget which outlined several proposed changes affecting the amount of money allocated to various student
organizations, clubs and professional societies.“This was an exceptional presentation put on by the finance committee today,” said Executive Vice President John Way.
During the presentation, each member of the Finance committee dissected the proposed changes for the categorized councils. Although roughly 11 of the councils faced changes to their funds, the most notable changes were proposed for the budgets of The Media Council, culture based organizations and sports clubs.
Under the proposed budget for the Media Council which includes the Grand Valley Lanthorn, GVTV and Grand Valley Radio, the council would see their allocation rise 17.86 percent from last year and level off at $66,000. According to Finance Committee head Alyssa Tierney, the jump would help pay for new equipment for both GVTV and Grand Valley Radio as well as help the struggling Lanthorn.
“We feel that it is important for Grand Valley students to have a student run newspaper,” Tierney said, “It is our goal for the Lanthorn to continue to print twice each week.”
According to Tierney, $48,000 would be allocated for the Lanthorn while $4,000 would go to GVTV and Grand Valley Radio respectively. The fact that so much of the budget was allocated to the student run newspaper provided one of the few causes of discussion throughout the course of the presentation.
“It’s been frustrating to see the money spent [by the Lanthorn] in a very poor way,” Way said shortly after Tierney said she didn’t recommend the Lanthorn to add or take away anything.
The Lanthorn has been hurt lately with poor advertising sales and rising print costs.
Although the Media Council saw increased funding under the proposed budget, another struggling organization isn’t expected to see the same result as culture organizations are faced with a deduction in their allocation.
“As of now there is $31,000 left in the budget,” said Finance committee member Logan Brenk, “We are currently losing organizations and there is a lack or requests to join, we have never gone over our budget.”
The allocation for culture organizations is expected to decrease from the $88,000 it had last year, to a number roughly around $75,000.
While culture organizations are on the downswing, sports clubs have seen substantial increases in members, interest and attention given from the University. The budget for sports clubs makes up the largest portion of the student life budget and it is expected to increase for 2011-2012. Under the proposed budget the allocation would increase to $358,000.
“[Grand Valley] Administration has shown more interest in upgrading the athletic facilities, President Hass has made upgrading the athletic facilities a priority and has added it on the his list of future goals,” said Senator Brennen Gorman following the meeting.
The university has already added numerous additions, including recently adding a spring intramural season to counter its rising popularity. Over the summer the school installed new astro-turf intramural fields and in 2008 a $50 million indoor turf building was finished.
According to Gorman, although the numbers in the proposed budget are only estimates, the overall student life budget from Student Senate will total to approximately $1 million. Other proposed changes involve increases to the budgets of honorary societies, Interfaith, performing arts and special interest groups. It is also expected that Greek life will see its budget rise to $30,000, as the change is expected to help accommodate three new organizations that will move onto Grand Valley within the year.
The Finance committee planned to have a meeting on Tuesday to address further changes to the budget
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