By Hayden Sadler
The Student Association held a joint Executive Council and Senate meetings Wednesday, May 4, to discuss the approval of the budget for the 2023-2024 academic year. The SA also discussed approval of various club statuses and voted on several issues.
The Student Association’s budget for the next year was presented by Treasurer Osamuyimen Akpata. The SA fee would remain $80 per semester going forward and would go into the next budget. It was noted that the current academic year’s budget of $1,104,445 was high in comparison to previous years due to rollover funds not being used during 2020 and 2021. The next proposed budget would be $1,050,047 with an approximated $570,000 coming from the SA collection fee. The SA created its budget by dividing it into several categories, including administration expenses, executive budgets, club budgets and additional allocations, as well as special purposes.
Additionally, club budgets were detailed for next year. All clubs that turned in a budget for the next semester will be receiving at least $1,000. However, no club will receive more than $8,000 in budget. The budget was higher than usual this year, and this reflects in the average club budget dropping to $2,093 from the current $2,553 value.
Akpata explained her budget by saying, “My goal was to ensure more equitable access to funding for all clubs.”
Finally, any active club that failed to submit a budget on time will instead receive $300. This change will cut down on available additional allocations.
After the joint session the Executive Council decided to recommend the budget for the Senate to approve. Vice President Saran Kaba praised the decision to grant $300 to clubs without a budget.
Following the budget recommendation from the Executive Council to Senate, the SA began their meeting to vote on clubs and budgets. During the SA council meeting, the budget was voted on in addition to the discussion of usual club requests.
The club Apostolic Students and Associates was represented by Senator Liza Ali for its latest request for permanent club status. Since their previously declined request for permanent club status, the club has shown significant improvement in club activity. Following these improvements, the Senate unanimously granted the club’s request for permanent status.
The Nepalese at Plattsburgh club was present at the meeting and requested permanent club status approval as well. The club previously did the Holi event alongside Club International and expressed interest in holding more cultural events that celebrate Nepalese culture. Their request for permanent club status was unanimously approved.
The final item on the Senate agenda was to approve the newly recommended budget for the 2023-2024 academic year. The budget, which was proposed at the prior meeting, was unanimously approved.
