USU concert, event cash slashed

Funding for programs and events will be slashed 20 percent under the new operating budget for the University Student Union, approved last Wednesday  by the Associated Students Senate.

Approved on an 18-0-1 vote, the $2.6 million budget for the 2000-2001 academic year also includes a reshuffling of custodial positions that initially threatened the jobs of student custodians.

The budget for the Program Council, which organizes and sponsors social and entertainment events such as concerts, films and lectures, was cut from $100,000 to $80,000, the same amount it had two years ago.

The funding cut was made to help balance the Student Union's operating budget and to address uncertainties regarding the council's structure and focus, said Student Union Director Eugene Minter.

"I want to see a firm direction in the Program Council in terms of where we're going to go," Minter said. "Before we start to allocate additional funding, we have to take a look at our structure and make sure the programs that we're putting on are diversified and well-rounded, which I think the council has done a good job of."

The council is now rewriting its bylaws to include more student voting members who decide which programs will be funded, said Program Coordinator Precious Robinson.

Though Robinson said she was initially concerned about the council's diminished budget, she said it will not affect the heart of its programming. It will, however, threaten funding for large-scale events the council hoped to put on next year, she said.

"I think we're going to have to prioritize some of the larger events or find other sponsors for them," Robinson said.

"We have an event called Spit Fire with celebrity speakers speaking on issues like censorship and homelessness," Robinson said. "It's a very expensive program. It's one of the events that we're going to have to prioritize."

She hopes the council will continue to expand its music programming by sponsoring on-campus concerts.

Minter also hopes to save $50,000 by restructuring the Student Union's custodial staff next year.

An evening custodial position and daytime temporary services will be eliminated, while an outside custodial firm will be hired to clean the building at night.

This restructuring initially alarmed nighttime student custodians who thought they might be out of jobs.

"Initially, we wanted to transfer students from the evening to daytime shift," Minter said. "It caused some initial problems with the students because they had to change their schedules."

Minter met with some students and decided to allow them to work at night if their schedules prevented them from working during the day.

"What we're going to do is give those students an opportunity to work elsewhere in the building if, in fact, they cannot work a day shift, so they're not out of a job," Minter said.

The Student Union's budget is funded by student fees, which totalled $2.9 million for the 1999-2000 academic year, and commercial ventures.

Facility rental revenue is expected to increase from $45,000 to $65,000 next year due to increased use of the Student Union by both students and outside organizations.

"We're really trying to increase awareness of the student body to utilize our facilities," said Lisa de la Loza, assistant director of services and recreation.

Loza promotes the Student Union's facilities at local schools and youth organizations to "generate revenue to maintain our facilities."

The budget allocates $860,000 for debt relief on $13.1 million in bonds sold by California State University Trustees that financed the Student Union's remodeling and expansion in 1996. The facility will pay off principal and interest on the bonds until 2028.