Allocations Commitee Approves $1 Million Budget

The Plymouth State University Allocations Committee and Student Senate approved the over $1 million allocation budget. Last year’s committee presented a 5 percent increase in the activities fee, where for the 2004-2005 school year, the activities fee will increase by 6.8 percent because of new organizations, recreation, athletics, and sporting clubs. It will mean a $20 increase for students in the Fall. “Over 1 million dollars is not a small amount of money, but year after year I am impressed by how well the Treasurer and Allocations Committee handles everything,” said Bill Crangle, Vice President of Financial Affairs.Athletics was given $19 thousand more this year, recreation $17 thousand, and the sporting clubs were given an increase in the amount of $14,206. The budget reflects 85 organizations with new associations including Silver Series, which gives students discounts off tickets, the Student Art Gallery, and first, second, third and forth year class officers were presented with budgets. In light of the increase, next year students will not be charged for Spring Fling bracelets and all PACE movies will be free. The Allocation Hearings began on the February 16. Organizations were given a checklist of things they needed to know beforehand, informing them that they must present seven copies of their budget to the Student Accounting Office at least a week before their hearing. Throughout a two week period, each organization was allotted a fifteen minute hearing and had to come prepared with their club’s constitution and a list of any inventory that they had (computers, volleyballs, jerseys, tents, skateboards, books, etc). Then they were to introduce their organization, what they do on campus, plans for next year, and any fundraising that they will do. It is important to have good representation for your organization at these hearings. After the two week period was over, it then became time for the committee to thoroughly discuss each and every organization. “We just really kept the students in mind,” said Tricia Gaul, Chair for the Allocations Committee. “We wanted to fund each organization as much as we could.”The committee did indeed put in their fair share of time spending nine and a half hours on deciding how much money would go to each organization. Everyone in the committee voted except for Chairman Gaul. “I couldn’t have asked for a better committee they were all passionate, dedicated, and worked very hard.”After the Allocations committee voted, the budget was presented to student senate on February 29. The budget was approved and passed by the senate. Within the next 2 weeks tentative reward letters will be sent out to all organizations. Currently, President Wharton is reviewing the Allocations and then will present it to the board of trustees who will also vote on it. After this process is finished, and if it is approved, the budget will then be official.Tricia Gaul and her committee have put a lot of time and effort into Allocations this year. Crangle stressed that this process is completely run by the students. He said, “It is an involved and political process. I commend the committee’s hard work and impressive results.”