The final version of next year’s budget proposal passed through the Student Senate on Friday night with a heated debate over the future of GTV, the student run television station located on the Gorham campus.
“Will we be leaving them out to dry if we take away their funding?” Senate Treasurer Christopher Hopkins asked.
With a spreadsheet of GTV’s budget projected on the wall behind the executive board, the debate over whether GTV’s funding should be re-allocated brought senators head to head about the future of the student organization.
The problem for GTV has been its lack of attendance at senate meetings. Without a presence, many senators feel that the station gives up their opportunity for financial support.
“I have asked the students who work at GTV several times to send me an e-mail regarding their plans and still haven’t heard anything,” Senator John Finison said.
Franklin Kendrick, GTV’s general manager for the past four years feels that the senate hasn’t made it clear enough that representation at their meetings is what they expect.
“Our funding has gradually decreased over the years as new groups are needing money, so I’m not surprised,” Kendrick said. “I didn’t know the senate expected GTV to be at the meeting.”
Kendrick, who is a senior, says that despite advertising the station’s need for a new manager for next year, he has heard little response from students.
GTV has been showing feature films on the Gorham campus for the last three months and helps produce students’ independent film projects.
After a final 10 to 5 vote against reinstating GTV’s funding, the money was set aside in unallocated funds, suspending the station’s financial support until they get the leadership necessary to represent themselves before the senate.
State of the union
Guest speaker at the meeting was USM’s President, Selma Botman, who spoke to senators about the progress of the strategic plan and the goals of the university. Working towards streamlining the transition for community college transfer students was discussed along with ways of increasing retention among undergraduates in this time of economic hardship.
“In all of the budget cuts affecting the university, financial aid will not be affected,” Botman said.
The difficulty students have funding their education was highlighted by Senator Adams, who said that his own financial situation has deteriorated to the point where he may not be able to afford to enroll next semester.
Amidst the economic gloom, Botman was optimistic about the strategic plan.
“It’s beginning to take some good shape and we hope to produce a final draft by the end of the semester,” she said. The five-year strategic plan aims to help resolve issues of economic sustainability as well as make the university more suitable to its diverse population.
Are you In or are you Out?
Two newly elected senators, Kaitlyn Hamilton and Micaela Enevoldson, had their letters of resignation read by Senate Chair, Katherine Letourneau, citing scheduling conflicts as their reasons for giving up their seats.
Also newly elected senators, Daniel Barret and Melissa Donahue, were voted on to sit for the remainder of 37th term, which runs through April.
The search process for students for board of trustees was initiated and nominations will be solicited by the end of the week.
Money, Money, Money
The senate approved funding for the 3rd annual Laura Vogel Memorial 5K race to be held on May 23, providing $1450 to help pay for port a-potties, tee shirts, and a finish line director under the agreement that the entry fee for students will be reduced by 50%. The USM Bayside Nursing Partnership is organizing a free community health fair the day of the race and hopes to attract over 1000 people. USM student athletes and nursing students will be volunteering at the event.
A new student group, the Phoenix Network, which helps at-risk youth with mentor and advocate services, had its constitution passed unanimously. Ben Skillings, who represented the Phoenix Network before the senate, explained that there were 8 students involved in the group, and a fund raising party is being scheduled for this summer.
Student Body President Ben Taylor and Senator Matthew Taggett went before the senate to request funding for the Spring Fling ’09 events scheduled for the week of April 26.
The request was for $9,500 to fund an outdoor concert scheduled for the Saturday night of the festival, as well as other activities. The Spring Fling event is one of three major festivals held during the year and is a significant opportunity for the Student Senate to generate excitement about university activities and events. The senate passed the proposal.
No more newspapers?
The newspaper program, which pays for the daily issues of the New York Times, Boston Globe and Portland Press Herald, has been removed from the laundry list, a list the senate uses to identify budget items it doesn’t know what to do with for next year. The decision will free up about $12,000 dollars.
Reasons cited for the program’s removal were that faculty members were taking the free papers and that news could be obtained more cheaply over the Internet.
The question of whether requiring students to present their I.D. would solve part of the problem was undermined by Senator Donahue, who said, “If I knew that I had to bring my I.D. with me every time I wanted a newspaper, I would probably not even try to get one.”
Because the budget is only a recommended proposal, The 38th Student Senate will have the chance to make changes when it takes office in May.