ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Franciscan University Student Government passed a $39,000 budget for the fall semester during its formal meeting on April 18.
A total of $38,824 was allocated to 18 different student clubs to fund their programs for the fall semester. The original budgets called for a total of $43,294 to be allocated, but that amount was significantly trimmed down during the budget process.
During a process that has been known to take hours and be highly controversial, Student Government reviewed the budget quickly and efficiently to avoid any of those issues. Most of the presented club budgets received minimal reductions, if at all, following the informal budget meeting on April 16.
“We did our best to balance helping the clubs as much as possible, as well as being fiscally responsible,” said Sen. Daniel McNichol, chair of the finance committee that oversaw the budget process.
The highest allocation, $9,050, was given to Students for Life. The amount includes $1,900 to provide stipends to the club president, vice president and five other club officers. The club’s original budget requested $20,000, half of Student Government’s total budget, but was trimmed down significantly in order to pass.
Student Government allocated itself $8,122, including $4,300 in stipends. The other half of the allocated money will be used for printing and supplies, maintenance of the water bottle filters in the academic buildings, postage and rides to and from Pittsburgh International Airport at the end of the semester.
Other clubs receiving funds include: Baron Pep Band, $1,030; Board Game Club, $500; Equestrian Club, $875; FATAL Ultimate Men’s Team, $3,465; Faith, Family, and Smash Bros., $120; Fire Ultimate Frisbee, $75; The Gadfly, $1,200; IDEAS, $1,592; International Coffee Club, $475; Italian Club, $225; Latinos for Christ, $1,140; Outdoors Club, $1,550; Student Creative Arts Network, $2,000; Veritas Society, $905; Voice of the Martyrs, $550; and Young Americans for Freedom, $5,950.
During the meeting, President Samantha Martinez reminded club representatives that the reason for the budget cuts was that the budget might remain under the amount allocated to Student Government by the Office of Student Life. She said that clubs can petition for any lost funds at the beginning of the fall semester, when more money will be available.