Congress cuts fees to make budget fit

Student Congress slashed speaker fees as well as printing and publicity requests during 31 hours of meetings for its annual Budget Weekend.

Congress cut 17.6 percent of the $91,538.23 speaker fees allotted by the Finance Committee two weeks ago, leaving $75,418.23. Original estimates for printing and publicity dropped 12 percent, from $102,466.90 to $90,110.13.

“We’ve had to decide what level and what quality we can fund,” said Congress Speaker Charlie Anderson. “It was hard to make cuts because people came in this year with really good requests.”

Congress budgeted 97.19 percent of its $331,264.35 in funds, leaving $9,939.39 remaining.

After zeroing out the $33,050 request from the executive branch of student government two weeks ago, Congress created space in the budget for full funding.

This year, 94 groups asked for funding, a 34 percent increase from the 70 that requested funds last year, and Congress was forced to cut requests from several organizations.

Congress decided that magazines requesting student fees only would receive enough money to print half of their issues, said Rep. Domenick Grasso. If the publications are successful, they can request additional funding, he said.

The Black Student Movement received $13,508.11 of its initial $24,244.99 request. After a heated debate, Congress decided not to fund the group’s request for a $5,000 speaker fee to bring Cedric the Entertainer to campus.

Many Congress representatives supported funding half of the speaker fee, but the amendment failed.

“Watching other speakers get funded, it sends a slap in the face to our organization,” said BSM Treasurer Conitras Houston. “Cedric the Entertainer would have brought laughter to the campus, but, more than anything, his life and his experiences would have brought an educational and diverse perspective.”

The Student Code prohibits funding events that are primarily for entertainment unless the Finance Committee makes an exception, Anderson said. The Carolina Union Activities Board supplies funding for that type of event, he said.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender-Straight Alliance received $11,788.45 of the $17,278.75 allotted two weeks ago. The group will bring feminist scholar and queer theory commentator Bell Hooks and the Rev. Irene Monroe to speak on campus.

After nearly an hour of discussion, the Carolina Athletic Association received a significant funding boost. Congress increased CAA’s funding to $8,030 after the group was allotted $521.29.

Representatives discussed cutting all funding for CAA because the Department of Athletics provides the group with $16,000 each year.

“Sixteen thousand dollars goes to CAA, and we are still giving them money on top of that,” Grasso said. “I want to know where this money is going.”

Despite the widespread criticism CAA received this year, Rep. Kris Gould argued that $16,000 is not enough to fully fund CAA, the group responsible for sponsoring Homecoming. Congress approved CAA’s funding level by a narrow 7-to-5 vote, with four abstentions.

“Whether Congress funds us or not, we’re still going to be held responsible for Homecoming,” said CAA Treasurer Ginny Franks. “We want the kind of Homecoming here that they have at other schools, with a good band and a free event on the lawn.”

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.