Members of the Associated Students UCLA Finance Committee and the Communications Board discussed the association’s finances and possible models for UCLA Student Media at their monthly meeting Friday.
Budgets
- Merchandise and computer sales were higher than expected in August. Third-party vendors, especially in Ackerman Union, also did well this month.
- Three-fourths of restaurant sales in August were catering and concessions sales, most of which was done for the Special Olympics World Summer Games held earlier this month.
- Several workers in offices underneath the Kerckhoff patio have complained about leaks when it rains. ASUCLA officials calculated that repairs can go up to $400,000. They are currently researching cheaper alternatives.
- ASUCLA will hire a new employee to accommodate the University of California’s new payroll system, the UC Payroll, Academic Personnel, Timekeeping and Human Resources project, or UCPath.
Agenda items
- ASUCLA officials discussed two audits concerning ASUCLA services. The first found that a security officer at the main cashier’s office had access to both the vault and the surveillance cameras. Since then, officials said the officer could still access the vault, but not disable the cameras. The audit also recommended ASUCLA to use a program besides Microsoft Excel to keep sales data. Officials said they will look at alternatives.
- The second audit ASUCLA officials discussed focused on their sales system. The audit recommended that officials store recorded footage from security cameras in the rooms that contain the sales system’s servers and to install moisture alarms to detect water damage in the rooms. The audit also found that some students who did not work at ASUCLA facilities anymore could still access cashier registers. ASUCLA officials said this isn’t an issue, as it would be difficult for students to access the cash register without the manager or anyone else seeing. They also said they would check whether a student is still working at an ASUCLA facility more frequently. They currently check once every quarter.
- The committee passed a motion to approved a $180,000 expenditure to improve ASUCLA’s network interface, which includes improving its routers, computers and bandwidth. Additionally, they will transition from a private network to a hosted network.
- The committee will host its October and November meetings at noon, instead of 9 a.m.
Compiled by Roberto Luna Jr., Bruin senior staff.