If projected numbers reflect reality, the ASUO may be anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 over its incidental fee budget cap for the 2014-2015 academic year.
The Athletics and Contracts, Department, and Program finance committees and EMU Board may only allocate 3.5 percent increases to their respective organizations instead of the usual 7 percent. The University of Oregon administration made a deal with the ASUO Executive branch: make the cut and the ASUO’s financial obligation to the EMU building reserve fund would be cut by $240,000.
With the administration’s deal, it is financially more efficient for the ASUO to go along with the cap. But that doesn’t make the committees cutting process any easier.
The EMU Board and DFC are expected to surpass the 3.5 percent cap. The EMU Board is currently facing a 4.4 percent increase — below an initial estimate, but over the cap. Since the EMU’s 2014-2015 projected budget is more than $6.16 million, the board is approximately $54,000 over the cap. The EMU Board is typically allowed some grace due its professional staff — budget cuts tend to mean costly staff reductions — and a renovation budget to consider.
What remains is the DFC, which remains slightly above the cap at 3.84 percent. On top of increases to Zero Waste and The Institute for Intercultural Dialogue and Conflict-Sensitive Reporting, the Mills International Center’s budget is set to receive a nearly 10 percent increase of $28,000.
“I don’t speak for senate,” ASUO External Vice President Greg Mills said. “But from what I hear there is growth in the DFC that is beyond what senate would like to see. But it’s senate’s responsibility to figure out what they would like to send back.”
The Mills Center’s $28,000 increase is meant to fund a bevy of new student positions in order to supply the high demand of its new programs and events.
“Right now there are student jobs being funded that we didn’t approve during last year’s budget season,” DFC board member Ryan Fritsen said. “The Mills Center has been paying for the new positions through their savings that they had last year.”
Some of the new positions are students working for the Mills Center’s Language Circle program, a 50-minute conversation workshop to help students work on their second-language skills.
“Essentially they’re looking to keep supplying the increasing demand,” Fritsen said. “Not doing their increase would mean that all of those jobs would be no more.”
Although the budget is due by week 10 of winter term, there is still some time to reach the cap.
Follow Craig Garcia on Twitter: @CraiGarcia