[79] in UA Senate
UA budgeting principles
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Alex Dehnert (UA Treasurer))
Tue Oct 13 23:19:53 2009
X-Barracuda-Envelope-From: ua-treasurer@mit.edu
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:19:09 -0400
From: "Alex Dehnert (UA Treasurer)" <ua-treasurer@MIT.EDU>
To: ua-senate@mit.edu, ua-discuss@mit.edu
CC: ua-treasurer@mit.edu
In-Reply-To: <4AD51413.40601@mit.edu>
As several people have pointed out, the UA spends quite a bit of money
on events (about a third of last semester's budget) and focused projects
(like PLUS --- about a tenth of last semester's UA budget). As Andrew
Lukmann pointed out last week, committees are spending almost twice as
much in Fall 2009's budget as in Spring 2007's budget.
Unfortunately, it is now a little bit late to make major changes to the
Fall 2009 budget. Last week's meeting was intended to allow that, and we
spent a great deal of time on it then. I also solicited feedback late
Friday night (or really Saturday morning), and didn't receive any. Of
course, you are well within your rights to amend the budget at this
point. (Though Athletics Weekend has already happened, so I'd rather you
didn't amend that...)
However, the Spring 2010 budget has not begun being compiled. In
preparing the the Fall 2009 budget, I (and I believe committee chairs
and the Special Budgetary Committee) generally followed precedent as to
events and amounts.
In some sense, there are (at least) two options for guiding principles
to take in producing the budget:
(1) Many of the UA-run events are more useful than the events and
programming (Finboard-funded) student groups would spend the money on
(2) Alternatively, that events and programs such as Athletics Weekend or
PLUS aren't worth taking the money away from those student groups
We've recently been defaulting to the former guiding principle. However,
I would encourage the Senate to seriously consider which is preferable
and pass appropriate legislation indicating a preference.
I would be *thrilled* to have such guidance, and would happily
incorporate it into next semester's budget. (I warn you, however, that
committee chairs will probably be asked to begin budgeting in about two
weeks.)
Thanks,
Alex Dehnert
UA Treasurer
Catherine Olsson wrote:
> Ted Hilk wrote:
>>
>> 5. The UA operating budget should be approved as it stands. Yes, I am
>> concerned that we are spending so much money on PLUS and Athletics
>> Weekend, but think that should be a target for future budgets, not
>> the
>> current budget. I am glad that there are concrete plans to hand
>> off PLUS
>> next year, and would like to see this promise held to. Thus I am
>> considering authoring a bill requiring the management of PLUS to be
>> handed over by next year as promised - is there support among other
>> senators?
>>
>>
>> Why delay fixing these issues, and for how long? T-shirts for
>> Athletics in particular struck me as quite expensive relative to their
>> potential benefit to the student body, and I would like to hear more
>> about this. A number of my constituents have already approached me
>> about fiscal responsibility, and I feel that more attention should be
>> given to the issue.
>
> In terms of PLUS, I don't see it as a delay in fixing the issue. The
> handoff is underway. I want to make sure it really happens as we are
> promised it will. (Jed's comments just now are reassuring).
>
> In terms of Athletics weekend, I'm suggesting we delay because we need
> to analyze the importance of Athletics Weekend, not cut it off as a
> knee-jerk reaction or haphazardly try to make a move at tonight's
> meeting with no overarching philosophy. The t-shirts are a large part of
> what get people to come out to Athletics Weekend - without them, our
> funding would be *totally* wasted. But, the question remains, is the
> event still worthwhile if we have to provide such strong incentives for
> attendance? I think possibly, but I'm not sure. Hence I don't feel
> comfortable acting *now*, and would rather discuss the issue of our
> spending as a whole at a more leisurely pace.
>
> If someone could provide a well thought-out plan for how to cut
> Athletics Weekend funding for this year, and present it at this meeting,
> I would consider supporting it, but I haven't seen any, and can't think
> of any right now.
>
> - Catherine
