Next year prepare for budget woes for CSOs

By Christopher Woodhouse

The Student Senate is set to make recommendations this Thursday on budget proposals for some of the University's largest student groups. Almost all of Santa Clara's eight Chartered Student Organizations will likely see their share of monies shrink, largely because they are finding it difficult to raise money in a shaky economy.

At least one CSO says that's affecting the quality of their operation.

"Because of the decrease in the economy, obviously the students are being hit," said Karen Waldmann, director of the Activities Programming Board. "They don't want to spend money on erroneous things like concerts and tickets when they need that money to buy books and other necessities for class."

Waldmann's organization, responsible for all of Santa Clara's major concerts and a variety of other programs, operated on a budget of $166,085 this year, the largest of the CSO's. Nearly 40 percent of that amount was covered by self-generated revenue like ticket sales.

APB is expecting almost $4,000 less revenue next year.

That decrease, coupled with budget cuts at the end of last year, has impacted the degree of talent APB was able to sign for its two major concerts and comedy show, according to Waldmann.

The Student Activity Fee Committee, comprised of two freshmen and two seniors, began working with CSOs in April to craft budgets and revenue goals for next year. Proposals were submitted to the Student Senate for further review earlier this month.

With input from elected officials, the SAFC will make final budget recommendations to Vice Provost for Student Life and Dean of Students Jeanne Rosenberger in late May.

According to budget documents released by the SAFC to the Student Senate, CSOs are expected to bring in just over $130,000 in self-generated revenue next year, down $6,000 from this year.

The undergraduate newspaper and the university's radio station, KSCU, are both planning for $1,000 less in advertisement sales.

The Santa Clara Review, a bi-annual literary magazine, expects fewer promotional sales.

The Santa Clara Community Action Program is halving its $1,000 revenue expectation because of a reduced role in the annual Special Olympics.

APB's revenue target, which had been set at $62,500 for the past four years, was lowered at Waldmann's request.

CSOs with lower revenue expectations are tweaking funds for office supplies and travel to accommodate the changes. Leaders hope that cutting some nonessential expenses will preserve their organization's primary role for the university.

"I don't think it will affect any of our programs," said SCCAP Director Amanda Isabel Sobrepena about her organization's proposed decrease in revenue.

Other organizations were insulated from major cuts this year.

Santa Clara's yearbook, The Redwood, whose revenue comes from senior ads and senior portraits, doesn't anticipate any change in sales for next year.

The Associated Student Government of Santa Clara University doesn't include self-generated revenue in its yearly budget.

The SAFC expects the Multicultural Center to increase its self-generated revenue next year by selling more tickets to cultural shows and other events.

The MCC is the only CSO proposed to have a budget increase for next year.

During the same process last year, the university asked all CSOs to reduce their operating budgets by five percent to accommodate fewer available funds. Despite those cuts and lower revenue targets this year, hourly and stipend wages for student workers have remained unchanged for the last several years.

Nearly half a million dollars from the university's general fund are proposed to be distributed to the eight student organizations for operating expenses and wages during the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Contact Christopher Woodhouse at cwoodhouse@scu.edu or (408) 554-4546.