Update: Yesterday, SGA passed an amendment to give C.A.S.E. 25% of the budget. C.A.S.E. will forfeit its right to special funding. SGA is now looking for input from students about the amendment. They ask that students stop in during SGA office hours to weigh in. There will be a revote in two weeks.
By Jim Chandley
C.A.S.E. recently proposed to amend the Student Government Association’s constitution and separate itself financially from the SGA’s budgetary processes.
The proposal would allocate C.A.S.E. 28% of the SGA’s budget each year. The proposal included complete forfeiture of SGA special funding for C.A.S.E.
- Ashley Forgione, one of our leading photographers, is studying abroad in Florence, Italy. Interested in being a contributer? Contact Dustin Watson (Head of Le Renard Photography) or Phil Meagher on FirstClass.
Similar proposals have been made in the past, but have failed. C.A.S.E. said the proposal makes financial sense for all parties.
“We end up paying more that what we could if we were to book things sooner,” said C.A.S.E. President Elizabeth Humphries, “For example, when we bring in entertainers, we have to wait to book them until we have the go-ahead after Planning Day with our final budget numbers.” She added that booking these entertainers earlier would lower the cost substantially.
But, some student leaders are skeptical about oversight. “A lot of times [C.A.S.E.] spends money extravagantly. I would worry about how the money would be spent outside of the budget process,” said an anonymous SGA member.
In response to oversight questions, President Humphries says that C.A.S.E. is the most watched organization on campus. “We are the only organization to have a full-time professional staff member from the office of student activities hired specifically for the purpose of advising our organization. Melissa Charles will be overseeing our spending.” Humphries also said that C.A.S.E. will have to submit spending reports, similar to other clubs budgets.
Other SGA members are behind the proposal. “I think the proposal is great,” said SGA President Amanda Donegan. “The block-booking it would allow them to do would save thousands of dollars.”
Donegan added that the proposal would force C.A.S.E. to spend money wisely. “If they can’t use special funding, they will have to concentrate on only what they need for their events. And their constitution requires them to put on 13 events annually.”
Whenever such an amendment is voted on, the student body has two weeks to address the SGA on the matter before a re-vote.
Le Renard: The Monthly Fox 
Deepseablue
February 24, 2009
Um, absolutely CASE’s budget should be separate from SGA… if not it cuts down on club and organization funding….
jimchandley
February 24, 2009
It wouldn’t be separate from SGA. It’s coming off the top before everyone else goes to budget.
aenrique
February 24, 2009
This is a terrible idea, it is already not fair that they receive up to 25% of the SGA budget anyways, and they take money from other clubs who could profit. I believe that if the SGA needs to amend its constitution it should specifically say that no single CLUB is allowed to take more than 10% of the SGA BUDGET. THIS IS getting out of control.