Groups appeal for funding
McLean Bennett
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: News
After more than half a semester of staring financial collapse in the face, the Women and Gender Equity Center may have found its golden ticket.
The Center for Alcohol Studies and Education, also facing dire financial straits, got a bit of a lifeline of its own.
Both entities appealed to Student Senate's Finance Commission Wednesday night for funding next year after the commission denied any funding to either organization earlier this semester. Both WAGE and CASE faced possible bankruptcies next year unless they found new sources of money or reversed the commission's previous decision.
WAGE had originally requested $30,000 for next year but cut its request to just $10,000 by Wednesday. That cut, among other things, helped convince the commission to vote 10-2-1 this week to provide the full $10,000 next year.
"I do like what they've done," said commission member Michael Umhoefer, who is also Senate's treasurer and chief of staff. He said he was previously "adamantly against" providing funding to WAGE, but added he was impressed with the center's two-thirds budget cut.
WAGE co-coordinator and graduate student Krystle Naab said after the meeting that the center was able to cut its budget so much by eliminating a part-time salaried leadership position at the center. She said that position will be replaced by a current university staff member, meaning the center's budget no longer must account for the salary.
She also said WAGE will likely seek other funding to supplement the $10,000 provision, though she said she is uncertain where that additional funding may come from.
WAGE is currently supported by a one-year deal through several administrative offices, but that support is set to run out after this year, leaving WAGE to find new funding for next year.
The alcohol education center, which needed more than $100,000 next year, previously asked Senate for $70,000 but was refused funding. Then, a $50,000 provision by the university administration lowered CASE's request to Senate to $60,000.
The Center for Alcohol Studies and Education, also facing dire financial straits, got a bit of a lifeline of its own.
Both entities appealed to Student Senate's Finance Commission Wednesday night for funding next year after the commission denied any funding to either organization earlier this semester. Both WAGE and CASE faced possible bankruptcies next year unless they found new sources of money or reversed the commission's previous decision.
WAGE had originally requested $30,000 for next year but cut its request to just $10,000 by Wednesday. That cut, among other things, helped convince the commission to vote 10-2-1 this week to provide the full $10,000 next year.
"I do like what they've done," said commission member Michael Umhoefer, who is also Senate's treasurer and chief of staff. He said he was previously "adamantly against" providing funding to WAGE, but added he was impressed with the center's two-thirds budget cut.
WAGE co-coordinator and graduate student Krystle Naab said after the meeting that the center was able to cut its budget so much by eliminating a part-time salaried leadership position at the center. She said that position will be replaced by a current university staff member, meaning the center's budget no longer must account for the salary.
She also said WAGE will likely seek other funding to supplement the $10,000 provision, though she said she is uncertain where that additional funding may come from.
WAGE is currently supported by a one-year deal through several administrative offices, but that support is set to run out after this year, leaving WAGE to find new funding for next year.
The alcohol education center, which needed more than $100,000 next year, previously asked Senate for $70,000 but was refused funding. Then, a $50,000 provision by the university administration lowered CASE's request to Senate to $60,000.
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