The Associated Students UCLA board of directors voted to approve the 2008-2009 budgets for the Undergraduate Students Association Council and Student Media at its last meeting of the year on Friday.
The vote designated $3,043,272 for USAC and $518,870 for the Graduate Students Association. The 2008-2009 budgets represented a slight increase from this year, and the board approved the amounts requested by each association.
The board discussed the Communications Board’s 2008-2009 budget request and five-year forecast, and decided to approve next year’s budget but asked for a revised forecast.
Student Media, the publisher of the Daily Bruin, lost nearly $40,000 this year, and the board forecast indicated that it could run out of cash by fiscal year 2011-2012, according to ASUCLA documents.
Bob Williams, the executive director of ASUCLA, acknowledged that print media has become a tough industry but added that he felt that the Communications Board’s five-year forecast was a conservative estimate that didn’t account for new projects that could draw more readers and revenue.
“They didn’t factor in their new developments in respects to Web development and marketing,” Williams said.
Jared Fox, a graduate student representative, agreed that the Communications Board needed to revise its forecast and new strategies, since it could run out of money in three years.
Williams added that if Student Media’s new strategies are not fiscally successful, the association may step in and assist financially.
The board also voted to reduce textbook prices by $400,000 for next year, install digital light projection screens in the Cooperage and implement sustainable hand driers in Ackerman Union.
Though some board members expressed their concerns about the $140,000 cost of the video screens, Dave Loewenstein, faculty representative, said one benefit is that students will expect to watch their favorite sports teams when the new Cooperage opens.
New Dyson airblade hand dryers will be installed in all public restrooms in Ackerman Union in order to reduce paper towel waste. The $25,000 installation will pay back its investment in approximately four years and will feature an antibacterial component, said Student Union Director Roy Champawat.
Construction at the new Cooperage continues to inch along, as Williams said the carpeting and lights are being installed, and the equipment for the Bruin Buzz, the new coffeehouse, is set to arrive.
But in the nearer future, the new post office in Ackerman Union is set to open Tuesday and will eventually feature a second postage machine to make the space more efficient.
ASUCLA’s sales have rebounded this spring after a mid-year slump, with the association earning $104,000 more than projected this month. Chief Financial Officer Rich Delia said a large portion of sales have come from the success of the computer store, as well as strong business for ASUCLA Catering.