Senate Update 3/27/13

At this week’s Student Senate meeting the senate underwent it’s first Student Fee Allocation Process review hearing, as well as heard updates from University Program Council, International Film Series, Leadership for Educational Action Fund and the Election Committee.

            UPC announced they are currently in the hiring process for the 2013-2014 academic year. UPC also announced they will be hosting a petting zoo event in April that will include various farm animals that students and the Greeley community are welcome to get close to.

            IFS announced their upcoming movie screenings, which include “Rocky Horror Picture Show” 7 p.m. Wednesday April 3 and 7 and 9:15 p.m. Thursday April 4.

            UNC election season is currently underway and the final presidential candidate debate is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday March 28 in the University Center room Columbine B. The last Open Forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 4 also located in Columbine B. Election dates are April 10 and 11.

            At the last Student Senate meeting senate heard presentations from various clubs and organizations asking for increases in their student fee allocation money. This week’s meeting was the first review hearing discussing which clubs and organizations deserve an increase in student fee allocations.

            “SFAP budgets are not easy to create and it is even harder to get senate to agree on who deserves what,” said director of finance Oliver Bourne.

            Bourne wasn’t kidding, Student Senate is allowed to allocate $57,000 to clubs and organizations but the total money asked for by the different clubs and organizations was over $70,000.

“It’s good to see groups are growing and wanting more money to do more things.” Bourne said.

Senate discussed which clubs and organizations deserve allocation money for over 2 hours, and will continue to discuss SFAP at next week’s meeting. None of the votes made in the review hearings are final until senate makes its final budget, which also has to be voted on. The final budget and voting will take place in late April.

The next Student Senate meeting is 5:30 p.m. April 10 in the University Center Council Room. For more information about Student Senate visit their website at www.unco.edu/studentsenate/. 

Senate Update 3/13/13

At this week’s Student Senate meeting, the senate heard updates from University Program Council Leadership Education Action Fund and Organization Funding Board. The majority of the meeting was focused on hearing groups present for allocation increases through the Student Fee Allocation Process.

            The senate heard from three different organizations wanting to increase their allocation money from the previous year. The groups included Club Sports, Asian/Pacific American Student Services and Student Radio.

            Mallory Jordan, Coordinator of Club Sports, presented to the senate asking for $93,430, this is a $26,000 increase from the money they received last year during the allocation process.  Jordan explained how the 17 different clubs impacted student life at UNC, and clubs continue to reach out to the Greeley community. If Club Sports was to receive it’s requested amount, it would make UNC Ice Hockey games free for students to attend compared to $5 for students and $7 for non-students.

            “While being student lead and student funded, club sport teams represent UNC in competitions and in tournaments both regionally and nationally. It is the combination of both of these aspects that makes our clubs continue to be successful from year to year,” Jordan said.

Ice Hockey is one of Club Sports most popular sports on campus, but their hard-hitting action has not been able to fill the seats at the Greeley Ice Haus this past season and Jordan wants to bring more students to support the team night in and night out.

“From a broke college student perspective, and having attended a lot of hockey games, I think the $5 admission fee can be a deterrent from students attending games. I can understand why students are not coming,” Said director of legislative affairs Becca Hoy. 

The next presentation Student Senate heard was by Asian/Pacific American Student Services, represented by Director Alethea Stovall. Stovall requested an additional $3,000 from last year’s allocation in order to provide more help for UNC students that are coming from overseas.

The last group to present was UNC Student Radio. General Manager Sam Wood represented Student Radio and asked for an increase of $5,000 from last year’s allocated money. Wood emphasized that he would be graduating this spring and was worried that no one would be able to fill his volunteer position. Wood explained how the radio would be better off if his position was to become a paid position instead of volunteer.

“I have a hand in almost everything the radio does, and it is a serious time commitment to be a general manager,” Wood said.

The Student Senate will take all presentation into account, and they will hear from more organizations after spring break. The final decision on how much each organization is allocated does not take place until mid-April.

The next Student Senate meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. March 28 in the University Center Council Room. For more information about Student Senate visit their website at www.unco.edu/senate/.