Each year, the Undergraduate Students Association takes the funds it receives from mandatory student fees and creates a proposed overhead budget that is then given to the Undergraduate Students Association Council to approve.
USAC approved the proposed 2007-2008 budget on Tuesday, allocating almost $500,000 to the association’s administrative and operational costs.
This year’s budget differs from last year’s in that the Office Space Allocation Committee, the Finance Committee and the USAC Faculty, Staff and Administrator Recognition Award all received an additional $1,000 of funding. Academic Affairs Commissioner Nat Schuster, who helped push through this amendment, has said he believes these committees are in need of the extra money.
This money will be redistributed from the net budgetable funds, or what is left over after other budgeted expenses. Internal Vice President Gregory Cendana said this means less money for the Student Government Operational Fund and the Student Organizations Operational Fund, which receive the net budgetable funds.
Schuster said that out of USAC’s total budget of $3 million, only $3,000, or roughly 0.1 percent of the total budget, is being reallocated and this should not create any problems with the rest of the budget.
“It makes a world of difference to these three committees (that are receiving money) while having a minimal effect on everything else,” he said.
Compiled by Lucy Benz-Rogers, Bruin contributor.
CORRECTION: This article incorrectly stated that $3,000 is 1 percent of $3 million.