Budget Committee approves fall budgets

By Gopika Nair, Editor-in-Chief

Ohio Wesleyan’s clubs and organizations requested $200,668 for the upcoming fall semester and the Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs’ (WCSA) Budget Committee funded $110,470.

President’s Club planned to bring Malcolm Gladwell, staff writer for The New Yorker, to kick off OWU’s 175th anniversary celebration. Because of lack of available funds, the Budget Committee funded the club $33,000 for a speaker, said treasurer Kristen Nooney at WCSA’s full senate meeting on April 17.

“We could only fund a certain amount and we figured alumni and other departments could help contribute to this if they [want to bring Gladwell],” Nooney said.

Overall, President’s Club requested $112,425 and was funded $55,168 to cover the costs of events such as the annual President’s Ball.

Additionally, the Campus Programming Board received $40,000 and Small Living Units were granted $7,000 for the fall semester. The total student activity fee remaining for next semester is $208,000 and the amount available for allocation to clubs and organizations is $119,400.

WCSA also pays for the subscription of The New York Times and USA Today, both of which can be picked up for free from the Atrium in Ham-Will, Nooney said. Currently, 35 copies of each are available. But because not enough people pick up copies, WCSA is reducing the amount to 18 next fall.

“I would vouch for a few more [copies],” WCSA member Michael Barr, junior, said. “I know enough people who do grab The New York Times every single day and I would consider myself one of those people. I think it’s important to have a source of news at this point in time that can be accessible to anyone.”

Dwayne Todd, vice president for student engagement and success, added that WCSA doesn’t pay for newspaper copies that go unread.

WCSA President Chris Dobeck and Vice President Michael Sheetz also drafted an initiative to reduce the cost of break housing for international students and students from the West Coast. The letter, addressed to President Rock Jones, suggests that the administration consider granting all students free housing for breaks that last less than 10 days.

In addition, the senate voted to sign a proposal for the Ohio Wesleyan Sustainability Plan, which is currently supported by Tree House and the Environmental and Wildlife Club.

The next WCSA meeting will take place at noon on April 24 in the Crider Lounge at Ham-Will.