Resolution

There is a certain buzz around campus today.

Those working walk the hallways with a certain sense of purpose.

Remember that midnight Student Government meeting? and the numerous gatherings that followed?

Well, something big happened on campus. In an effort to explain, I will start with the basics. First of all:

All students pay a $90 activity fee every semester.
All that money is put into a huge fund to be used for student events and activities. One of Student Government's many responsibilities is making sure that the student activity fund is used in a responsible way and that various organizations on campus receive that money.

Chartered Organizations
Chartered orgs can come to student government and ask for money whenever they would like to. They just have to provide information on their activity and where they are buying things, and then receipts. Paperwork must be filled out and then approved by the Finance Committee (which I am on).

Commissioned Organizations
Commissioned orgs are also student organizations that do activities on campus, but these organizations have a set budget at the beginning of the year. They are given the money requested, and they can always come ask for more money if they overspend.

So here is the situation:
At the end of every year, chartered orgs can apply to be commissioned, they just need to go through an evaluation process. Commissioned orgs go through the same process in order to be recommissioned.

This year, however, student government decided not to recommision two of the biggest organizations on campus, ASAC (Augsburg Student Activity Council) and KAUG (the Augburg radio station).

This was a HUGE decision... after all, the meeting went until 12:45 at night. It was not an easy decision to make. I also had a meeting Monday night, Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night, and then tonight is the appeal meeting. I have been busy.

A lot of senators had felt that both orgs were taking steps in the wrong direction. I will not get into specifics on this blog, but if anybody would like to chat about it, let me know.

What this means:
ASAC has a budget along the lines of $80,000... that is a lot of money to just take away from an organization. KAUG does not have a budget quite as large, but it still makes an impact on their org. Both organizations will be chartered, will continue to ask for money, and they will continue to host events on campus.

Yes, this will make it more difficult for these organizations to get money, but Student government felt that this decision would provide more pros than cons.

What's next?
Tonight I have a meeting at 7:30. Both orgs are appealing the decision made by stu. gov. and the decision may possibly be overturned....

I'll keep you updated.