Payroll costs hit activities

Due to increased payroll expenses, many student organizations will see no increase in their operating budgets next year.

Despite an overall increase in student fee money available for allocation due to PSU’s growing student population, the Student Fee Committee (SFC) had less money for general operating expenses due to a cost-of-living increase in student stipends and increased PERS costs.

In total $6,644,546 million funds were allocated to student groups for next year.

The SFC budget process involves a series of negotiations during which student groups requesting SFC funds show committee members itemized budgets from the current academic year and explain the work they’ve done for students during that year.

Most groups receive individual funds corresponding to expenses.

Because of the complexities of the Athletics department’s budget, the SFC instead chose to allocate a $2.1 million fund that they could draw from as necessary.

Seven groups will have SFC funding for the first time next year, Student Tenant Union (STU), American Marketing Association, Friends of Geology, Indian Student Association, Planning Club, Vietnamese Student Association, Information Systems Students and Alumni.

STU co-coordinator Annie Stewart is encouraged by the new funds.

Stewart says the new funds will pay for general office expenses, and should help in the STU’s efforts to represent tenants as the management responsibilities for a majority of campus housing shifts from College Housing Northwest to PSU.

The Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group saw their budget shrink from $120,000 to $21,000 in reserve funds, held until the group meets certain criteria.

“Our guidelines say that we can’t fund something that’s wholly off campus like that,” SFC chair Tracy Earll said of the reduction in funding.

“The budget for OSPIRG will be released upon submission of a revised budget that includes only costs associated with operating on the PSU campus and for the PSU students,” Earll said.