University of North Florida

Student Government

2015-2016 Activity & Service Fee Budget Hearings

January 16, 2015

  1. Call to Order

-Meeting is called to order at 9:31AM.

  1. Roll call

-6 members present

  1. Budget Hearings
  2. Osprey Productions (402017)

-John Chwalisz, Director of Osprey Productions: The proposed budget is$482,410.36.Office wages for Director and Assistant Director are for 40 hours a week, we work over our hours, but it is just what we have to do. Also there was an increase in minimum wage. Additionally, I decreased the office assistant’s hours to 25 hours from 30. Line item 5 there is a big change; there is an increase of $25,000. Students want bigger concerts/events. Line item 18, this is marked 0, but we realigned this is to operating expenses; this allows us to not be tied to a contract. For proposed operating expenses, I have requested $13,000 for advertising. I proposed an increase of $1,000 in rental items. Contract writer obligations are a decrease of $250. Lighting stages and sound production I have an increase of $5,000. $14,500 for the Campus movie event, this if for students to have the ability to compete making a movie on their own. I gave it that 1000 buffer for the case that the event might go up. Travel is important for the NACA conference. It is a great conference, we learn a lot. It used to be put under the president’s budget.

  • Senator Kontol: Can you go over the rental expenses again? -Everything from floaters, fencing, lighting, and others. If we are renting certain items it is easier
  • Senator Kontol: You said lighting? -Thereis two different types of writing, there are stage lighting for concerts. But there are also pole lightings or generators that would be from renting.
  • Senator Akers: is there a certain branding you use for lighting?- It depends on the artist.
  • Senator Akers: Lighting and sound, have you looked at purchasing those? -We don’t have the ability to rig; they won’t let students do that. We did look into purchasing something’s. But lighting has to be updated every year
  • Senator Johnson: Line 3 and 4 of the wages, can you go over the difference between program and office assistant? - Program assistant is our graphic assistant. Office assistant is more of an office manager. It is two different positions
  • Senator Johnson: You said you lowered from 30 to 25, and they can still get everything done? –Yes, we saw that on average they weren’t clocking 30.
  • Senator Johnson: What would happen if you lowered to 20? - The graphic designer wouldn’t have enough time for the flyers, or club alliance might not get theirs.
  • Treasurer Wolf: What if office assistant is decreased down to 20? - I don’t know if anyone has done reservations, but we could possibly lose space to that. Student union has cracked down on that a lot.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Can you touch on why you don’t receive from SLS anymore? -We decided it was best not to. They all decided for us not to.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Are you selling for OZ? -We will be.
  • Senator Kontol: Under your Operating Expenses it says a decrease of 750 is it supposed to be decreasing to 750 so a decrease of 250? - Yes that is what it is supposed to say.
  • Senator Johnson: For line item 14, what are the dues? - That is for NACA, it is a due to be a part of the organization each year. We are a member and we attend the conference.
  • Senator Johnson: For the travel I think it was $6,000 what if it were to go down to half, and then you were to request the travel from the senate. Would that work? -This year with the $6,000, we couldn’t even take the whole staff. We didn’t have the funding. So what if senate doesn’t pass it, only 2 or 3 people could go. We would have to pick and choose. We can’t fundraise here in SG. We could cut, but we couldn’t guarantee.
  • Senator Johnson: What about 4,000? -This year we paid 5,150.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Is there anything out of pocket?- no
  • Director McGuire: Those are a little different than the travel process. These are more business and organizational.
  • Senator Johnson: They couldn’t come as OP to the B&A? -Correct.
  1. Club Alliance(402040)

-Justin Dato, Director of Club Alliance: For food I am requesting $1,000. That is for food at the 6 general body meetings. This helps maintains attendance. This year we experienced a 20% increase in attendance. Other materials and supplies $250, this goes to road sign paper, they cover up a metal frame, the paper is pricey. Club alliance Programming, this fiscal year we had $5,000. This year our main incentive was to increase our club fairs. We are requesting $6,800 for the upcoming fiscal year. This line also covers the presidential luncheon and president’s gala. We also use this line for awards for the clubs. For Club Fest, it is our big event for the fall. We are requesting $8,350. T-shirts. Food is insanely expensive. We had to get extra tables and chairs from Physical Facilities for 350. We also have giveaways for 1000. Spring Bash for $7,850. This is for t-shirts, food, tables and chairs, giveaways, and attraction. Attraction will help increase the attendance that is why I allotted 1,000 for that (march 3). For our last line that is our marketing and advertising line, for $750. We advertise for events such as Club Fest and Spring Bash. This will be for road signs and A Frame inserts. I did not put the request for OPS wages, but that is in your packet. Minimum wages did increase, but our hours did not change.

  • Senator McCulskey: I see that 2012-2013 on operating expenses on line item 2 you dropped down 2300. You are now asking for 0$. If we gave what you asked for in the past, could we allocate them? -We start over. That is the past that is just a reference for us to see.
  • Senator Silberstein: For spring bash there was an increase of $1,000 to bring in attraction? - I was basing it off of what we brought to the Luau; we spent about $750 on slushies’.
  • Chairman Kennedy: How much of the advertising budget have you used? -We were running late on designs, so we didn’t have enough time to order those.
  • Senator Johnson: In line 8 and 9 you have allocations for food specific to each of those, how often are those meetings that the food allocations goes through?- The meetings have a line for food, and that is usually all used up.
  • Senator Johnson: $4500 for club fest and $4000 so total of $9,000. So could there just be less food? - Food is very expensive, I tried to bargain but there isn’t much wiggle room.
  1. SG Judiciary(402063)

-Ben Jaeger, Chief Justice: There is an addendum to number 5, my deputy chief justice will hand that out to you. One of our biggest responsibilities is parking appeals. We also handle judicial complaints and judicial reviews. This year we were allocated $11,760.08 at 30 hours a week for the Chief Justice and that seems about right. The Deputy Chief Justice was allocated $3,920.03. Office supplies were consolidated into execs budget. I anticipate we will be using the rest of the food budget for this year. 16,928.26 we did receive a special request. For next year we are requesting the same amount for the chief justice and the deputy chief justice. We are requesting an addition of a line item for the senior associate justice for $2,613.35, there is a big need for this position to help alleviate some of the responsibilities of the deputy chief justice. We are also requesting reserve wages in the amount of 405. We had a lot of volunteered time last semester. We are requesting nothing for telephone wages and office supplies. We are requesting $150 for education supplies, for Roberts’s rules book along with other books. We are requesting $200 for food. $300 for other materials and supplies. Our robes are actually graduation gowns, so we would like some actual robes and a shirt. Total request is $19,399.26

  • Chairman Kennedy: You are working 40-45 per week or time period? - Just for this particular time period.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Can you touch on the educational supplies? - Mostly books.
  • Chairman Kennedy: As for the reservedwages, you have opened a new position at 10 hours a week, so that would be a total of 50 hours a week between the 3 of you, so would the reserved wages still be necessary?- That is just in case we experience a semester just like last semester. I was working way over.
  • Senator Johnson: Can you expand on the Robes? - I am still looking into that, they are pretty expensive they are around 100. And we would need 7.
  • Senator Silberstein: Because you will have this new position, couldn’t you cut your chief justice hours? -Not necessarily, this will help the deputy chief justice.
  • Senator Johnson: Could it be said that now that you have the new position, that the work load will be fielded? -Yes, we are hoping we won’t have to touch that reserve. This is for just in case we have another similar semester as last.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Can you describe some of the roles how the deputy and senior position? -This will help establish continuity within the branch. The deputy will have a lot more say than the senior chief justice.
  • Chairman Kennedy:Is that role currently filled?- No, I am thinking of appointing someone once we have a full bench
  • Senator Johnson: Do you expect the senior to volunteer, would 5 hours a work? - There will might be a few hours volunteered. 5 hourswould be too little.
  1. Executive(402060)

-Joseph Turner, Student Body President: I wanted to cut about 5%, but was only able to cut 2.3%. Because we are including $10,000 for the print lab. I am currently operating at 115 a week. It seems like a lot but it goes pretty quickly. SG treasurer moved from business and accounting office to the exec cabinet at 30 hours a week. Operating expenses: there is an executive operating expense, what happened last year we consolidates all student government wide expenses all the way into the exec budget. It all goes through one office; we have been able to save some money through that. I am requesting $10 for postage. For the travel line we are requesting $8,000 instead of $10,000. Food line I am requesting down to $1,000. Cell phone line we are cutting for this year, that is not necessary going forward. Executive programming, there was a large jump from last fiscal year to this we offloaded a quarter million dollars for OP. Special projects line there was the swoop the loop event that could be done under the executive programming. Last $2,000 line is for marketing and promotion. One thing that I noticed, we don’t do a good enough job marketing. SG general expenses, all student government office expenditures came out of the executive branch. We haven’t spent very much this past year. You might be able to cut a bit more of $4500. If you need to, it could cut another $1500 and things should be fine. Golf cart repair and maintenance,$500 is ok for that. SG retreat, we haven’t spent any of that because that is for the next administration at the end of this year. SG awards are about $3000 for the SG banquet. Testing supplies included money for scantrons, now those are handed out in the classroom. So, the cost was $7,000, the remaining $3,000 is for green books. Computers you’ll see a big increase, we got SG on a 5 year rotation plan. The new line is $10,000 for the free print lab, which is currently running on a special request. This allows students to print on student government computers. This budget is for about 400,000 prints.

  • Chairman Kennedy: As far as the free print lab and special request in question 7 was that for this year? - That was for the fall and spring, and furniture for the lab.
  • Senator Johnson: For line 13, you said you haven’t been doing a good job, but you are bringing it down? - I think the amount of $2,000 will get the job done.
  • Senator Silberstein: For OPS wages, you had the director of analytics and research can you elaborate on that position?- It was a position that looked into our budget and what we had been spending money on and to project our expenses in the future. I will not be filling that position for the remainder of this year.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Point of Information, as far as that line item goes, the acting president has the power to delegate this to whatever position they chose. It is up to presidential discretion.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Can you say what employees are in that line? - I had at most 6 and I currently have 4 in that line. It depends on the president.
  • Senator Johnson: Can the president redistribute the hours? - We fund through excess hours. Not everyone works their budgeted amount of hours each week.

-Kyler Dykes, Lend-A-Wing Pantry Coordinator: For the budget, we made a few changes. For operating expenses, $250 for printing. For promotional items I am proposing an increase to $2500. We use this to purchase the grocery tote bags with the lend-a-wing logo. If they bring it back they can get more. We also want to purchase road signs. Office supplies line will be staying the same. If you look at food line it is now at $0. For the programming line also is now at $0. This was used to put on programming events, and I don’t think we need that. The last change is for salary, I am proposing an increase from 20 hours a week to 30 hours a week, since we are having more partnerships. We are trying to get our foundation account up and running, to open us up to a wide range of donors. That increase of hours is very justified.

  • Senator Kontol: You guys get volunteers, on average how many hours? -We are open about 13 hours a week; we had someone there at all times.
  • Senator Akers: How many hours a week did you work? - 20.
  • Senator Johnson: The special request you expect to put in, can you ball park how much that will cost? - I talked with the gardens; it is a little harder than we thought. We will have the garden staff to come in at least once a twice a week to distribute it themselves. I do not foresee that special request coming forth.
  • Senator Kontol: Will you be open longer with the increase of hours?-Yes.
  • Senator Silberstein: Do you have an estimate of promotions? -We don’t have an estimate yet.
  • Chairman Kennedy: With the future partnerships, would they be able to promote, so the $700 increase won’t be necessary?- I think the bulk of promotion has to come from us.
  • Senator Akers: You had $1,800 the past year for promotional items, and you said you didn’t use any? -We do have plans to spend all of that this semester.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Is spring busier? -It gets busier each semester.
  1. Overhead(402098)

-Director McGuire: As for the Overhead the University mandates that revenue. Unfortunately that number is what it is; we can’t do anything about that.

-Business Manager Knipe: It is a function of the budget, as you cut and increase budgets that number will be affected. There is also a figure there for insurance.

  1. Salary Reserves(402099)

-Director McGuire: This will be going down to $41,000. If you take all minimum wage employee in our budget, that is a lot of costs. Every budget is only for half of the year. Every year we do not how much CPI and inflation will be changing. This is an accumulation of all the wages. Salary increase and fringe benefits are also included in this. That last column is what you are actually funding. That is going down because the salary increases go into effect in October. This is why the number is dropping.

  1. Recreation(402030)

-Director Purser: Recreation includes intermural sports. *Justin Cato discusses intermural participations and utilization.* Recreation also included Eco Adventure, an initiative from Student Government. *Amy Costa discusses Eco Adventure’s gear checkout, trips given, the osprey challenge course, zip line nights*. The main increase is found in the OPS categories. We are asking for money to operate the skate park, last year it was funded through SLS. It is for one staff member to operate the skate park for 40 hours a week. The next change is related to the new field house. It is the conversion of the aquatic center, for intermural sports. I have asked for OPS money for the staff in the field house, 93 hours a week for two staff. That will be open in time for fall semester. For operating expenses, we have asked for redistribution. In printing and reproduction we asked that 200 of that be transferred into repairs and maintenance. We reduced our utility line by $10,000, to be redistributed. The other item is operating expense for the new field house.

  • Senator Bottom: You have under rec gym, educational supplies? -That is money for CPR and first aid for the staff.
  • Senator Johnson: Can you tell us what the satellite radio line is? - There is a sound system in the facility broken up into zones. This allows us to play music in the facility.
  • Chairman Kennedy: Can you explain the new rec gym? -We would be happy to come and bring blue prints of the rec gym to senate. It is a mirror of the arena gym; it will accommodate 3 basketball courts, 2 volley ball, soccer, etc.There will also be locker rooms and meeting spaces.
  • Chairman Kennedy: On line 19, over the past 3 years it has grown a little over $2,800. Can you touch on that increase? - Much of the equipment is expendable; it doesn’t have a long shelf life.
  • Chairman Kennedy: As far as the rec gym staff, is that for two staff members? - Yes it is 93 hours for two staff, it won’t be the same two people, and it’ll be a student job opportunity.
  • Senator Kontol: Where did the skate park funds come from before? - From SLS funds. If student government doesn’t fund the skate park this upcoming year it would have to close down.
  1. Student Wellness Complex(402031)

-Director Purser: The student wellness complex was another huge Student Government initiative. *Jim Ballard talks about the increases in usage of the student wellness complex*. *Justin Cato talks about the stats on the Osprey Cliff*. There is only one change to the budget. In September you all funded a full time non-student OPS fitness coordinator, this year we are asking you to fund 75%($32,400) of that position. We are going to use our auxiliary budget to fund the other 25%. *Jim Ballard talks about the importance of the fitness equipment coordinator*. We want to reduce the printing line and take it down into equipment and supplies.