The Weber State University Student Fee Recommendation Committee has come to a consensus on recommendations for student fee allocations. The student senate will vote on and clear these amounts tomorrow, so they are unofficial.
With a surplus of $26,404 in base funding, the committee decided Friday afternoon during its final meeting of the year to designate the extra money into a special needs account that would serve different organizations and departments throughout the year. Organizations that may not have asked for more student fees but find themselves in fiscal emergencies can tap into this fund.
Only one organization’s needs were met and exceeded. The debate team asked for a base increase of $1,865 for travel costs, but the committee recommended it receive $2,500 this year.
Another organizations whose needs the committee fully recommended was KWCR, due to receive a one-time increase of $18,392 to move the radio transmitter to a spot right above the football stadium.
The Center for Community Engaged Learning is also recommended to receive its full requested increase of $3,200 to fulfill student scholarships. Computer labs will be able to purchase new laptops and printers with their recommended increase of $4,185.
The committee requested the Student Health Center, which asked for an increase of $11,500 to buy medical supplies, to receive the full amount — as well as the department of visual arts, which requested $15,000 to continue a film series held at Peery’s Egyptian Theater in Ogden.
Among organizations whose requests the committee did not fulfill are the USA Today Collegiate Readership program and Veterans Services. The USA Today program requested a base increase of $2,500 to provide more displays and newspaper stands, but the committee recommended it not receive a base increase to its existing budget.
The committee denied Veteran Services’ base increase request of $6,500, but instead recommended it receive a one-time increase of $500 to fund program research.
The Multicultural Student Center is seeking funding to replace soiled furniture, but the SFRC denied it as well.
The SFRC recommended the Shepherd Union Building, which requested the largest amount of the organizations this year, to receive a partial amount of the $60,000 request. The committee recommended $27,680 be allocated to the union for its Money Management project.
WSU Athletics hoped for a base increase of $41,000 to fund salary for a part-time athletic trainer, but the SFRC recommended it only receive $12,500. The SFRC recommended the UTA Ed Pass program, also asking for a large piece of the pie, $30,0000, to receive a partial increase of $8,300.
Campus Recreation, which shares space inside the Stromberg Complex, requested a base increase of $9,625, but was recommended an increase of $7,000. The customer service department within the fitness complex requested a base increase of $4,500, but the committee suggested instead a one-time increase of the same amount.
The Office of Undergraduate Research also received recommendation for a one-time increase of its original request of $4163.
For the WSU Department of Performing Arts, which requested a base increase as well as one-time funding, the SFRC recommended $7,500. It recommended the Davis Learning Center $6,000 instead of the $10,850 it requested.
Davis Student Services, wanting to fund advertising and increase student awareness of programs, requested a base increase of $6,000 and a one-time amount of $2,600, but was recommended to receive $5,000.
In an effort to boost the annual Block Party and other student involvement projects, Student Involvement & Leadership requested $15,000, but was recommended to only receive a portion of that amount, $11,000.
The Honors Program tied with Veteran Services to be recommended the least amount of money for the 2014-15 fiscal year, recommended to receive a base increase of $500 to fund programs and student travel.
More information will be available on www.wsusignpost.com after student senate deliberates on these amounts tomorrow at 2 p.m.
