ASG ends year with surplus

The UNC Association of Student Governments will end the fiscal year with a budget surplus.

The association comprises representatives from student governments from the UNC system's 17 campuses.

ASG will have $47166 left over from the 2008-09 fiscal year which ends June 30 according to the budget posted Thursday.

ASG spent the approximately $199"000 they received through the $1 fees paid by each student in the UNC system.

But there is still flexibility in their budget due to an inheritance from a previous ASG government that didn't maximize their budget.

""We began with $99"218.12 from last year alone" said Greg Doucette, president of ASG.

Plans to spend the extra money are already in place and include $4,000 for improving the computers in the ASG offices, $1,000 for office renovations and $17,000 for special projects, Doucette said.

 Despite this surplus, Doucette said he doesn't think that the money will go to waste.

Next year we are budgeted to spend all of our funds" he said. Leadership in past years didn't do anything. If ASG is doing what ASG is meant to be doing" there shouldn't be that much flexibility.""

However" some unforeseen obstacles arose in January when Gov. Bev Perdue issued an executive order mandating that state agencies reduce unnecessary spending.

ASG is not a state-funded agency because all of its funding comes from student fees but it is still considered to be a part of the UNC General Administration.

Since ASG is recognized as separate from the universities and the Board of Governors they have to abide by the same orders as the UNC system.

The executive order therefore had jurisdiction over ASG Doucette said.

The cuts were incorporated into the ASG budget by cutting back on unnecessary travel expenditures.

Jason Smith chief financial officer of ASG" said cutting travel could have been destructive to the work of ASG.

""Most of what we do is travel to campuses in the system on outreach programs" he said.

Fortunately" a lot of our travel is very necessary.""

One way in which ASG was able to reduce travel was by developing more efficient communication between campuses" including more usage of e-mail Smith said.

Despite the restrictions on travel Doucette said" ASG fulfilled their goals this year.

""The one dollar they gave us this year was already spent in service"" he said. The cuts didn't prevent us fulfilling that mission this year.""

 

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.