Economic woes could affect club budgets

By Pat Howard
Cardinal Staff

The Saint Mary’s University Student Senate is currently budgeting for the 2009-10 academic year and will continue its normal conservative budgeting process despite the economic uncertainty, said Travis Fick, student senate vice president for financial affairs.

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“We are trying to keep budgets fair while maintaining a level of strict fiscal discipline,” Fick said.

The Student Senate Finance Committee has been meeting almost every week to address club budgets and future plans. The majority of clubs receive money for budgets and special requests through the $170 activities fee that is incorporated into every undergraduate student’s tuition.

According to Fick, the Club Budget Policy organizes funding into four bracket levels. Level one represents clubs that feature a total yearly funding of $1-$500. The level four bracket is geared for clubs that spend $10,000 or more in a year. In the past, clubs were able to move up in the brackets to seek more funding.

Next year, however, the Student Senate Finance Committee will not be allowing clubs to move up in the bracket system and have limited the percent increases that clubs may request for. “The finance committee’s main goal is to ensure a solid financial base,” said Fick. “We have maintained fiscal discipline this year and will not stray when considering budgets.”

SMU will continue to have all the clubs it features this year. However, Fick said it may be more difficult to hold every event and invite every speaker clubs typically offer.