A.S.I. funds promote campus unity

Using a $44-per-semester fee tacked on to the cost of tuition, the Associated Students Inc. financially supports organizations that promote awareness, ideas, academics, opportunities and the overall well being of students.

This money is distributed to various campus organizations that can be involved in such activities as administration, campus sports or governance.

This year's final budget figures for the A.S.I. are not available yet. The budget is based on enrollment--estimated at 32,000-- and is expected to be around $1.3 million.

Funding is not simply distributed to each student organization, but parceled out for individual events.

Each organization must present a request for money after preparing it with their student development advisor, and it is then voted on by the voting council, which consists of the A.S.I. president, vice-president, treasurer, two senators, a faculty representative, and President Maxson.

"The A.S.I provides 50 percent of the funding for an event, so if the organization needs $800 for an event, they'll make a request for $400," said ASI Treasurer Sal Ay--n.

To qualify for A.S.I funds, an organization must meet certain criteria based on their overall benefit to the campus.

The A.S.I council weighs each case based on several factors. Considerations include the organization's history, the potential benefits of the event, and how much money the organization s asking for compared to available resources.

"The council discusses about three requests a week and in my short time here, most have been approved," Ay--n said.

In an effort to limit the funding for events that do not benefit all students, there are some criteria that prevent the A.S.I from providing funding.

These include events seeking partisan support, events sponsoring or lobbying officials, or events that are closed that exclude some students.