As part of the continuing restructuring of the Students’ Association and the SA Senate, the Students’ Association Appropriations Committee is now focusing on the financial aspects of the change. The Budget Process Review Committee is looking at this issue.
“Our first priority is to identify what the problems are, and if the answer comes that there are no problems, then we’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing,” senior and committee member David Iseminger said.
The SA budget is used to fund various clubs and organizations at UR. It was formerly part of the senate’s responsibilities but due to its importance it received its own committee.
In order to determine whether or not problems exist the committee is currently asking the UR community for assistance.
The committee is looking at the budgetary processes of colleges including Brown University and Swarthmore College. They are also interviewing members of the administration including Dean of The College William Green, Dean of Students Jody Asbury and Staff Accountant for Student Activities Debbie Gaudet.
“The administration showed more willingness to listen to us because we’re organized and consolidated,” senior and Speaker of the SA Senate Alex Voetsch said.
“[Our] biggest priority is to consult with the experts,” SA President and senior Chris Calo said.
The interviews and input from experts in and out of the university will then be compiled into an ideal draft for the new budgetary process.
“I’m excited that the structural changes are now coming into being and I can now see this cooperation is going to lead to a lot of improvements in campus life,” Voetsch said.
Levesque can be reached at clevesque@campustimes.org. Pisarski can be reached at apisarski@campustimes.org.
