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Vol. XX:11,No. 1
MON .EV WOES HIT ACTIVITIES The Plight of the Unfunded
Money Crunch Strikes S.G.A.
I
October 1, 1975
CABRINI COLLEGE, RADNOR, PA.
By Fran MacDonald Cabrini's current financial cris is is hitting hard . Clubs and organizations have forced to accept substantial budget cuts. Hardest hit, it seems however, by this monetary crisis, is the Student Government Association itself. SGA is currently operating under a large deficit. Unable to pay last year's bills, they are s_till committed to this year's expenditures . And even with substantial club bud~et cuts, SGA has little hope of removing itself from debt in the near future. SGA's money problems, however , are not new. According to Sharon Shipley, current SGA treasurer, past treasuries also operated at a deficit, but not as large as the one faced by this yea r 's student government. The problems stem from the way in which budgets are granted . At the beginning of each year, SGA receives a lump sum of money to be used as their budget. This money comes from Mr. Isadore Axler, Vice President of Business and Finance . The treasurer receives no advance notice of how large the sum will be. According to Ms . Shipley, the treasurer just "hopes the amount will be the same," and plans the budget accordingly. In the past, this sum has not been the same, and has not been evenly divided by semester, creating a serious shortage of funds for the second semester. This shortage of funds for the second semester has seriously effected the present SGA. Several outstanding debts from last semester still have not been paid, and SGA does not have any extra money in their present budget to cover these payments . SGA also has two high priced commitments for this semester, the appearance of Frederick Storaska, and a pledge to the Symetry Festival, that must be honored. To do so, they will be forced to hold various fund raising activities . The present budget just isn't adequate enough to cover the bills . Where do they go from here? SGA, at this time, has initiated an all out campaign to help solve their money problems . Presently, members are investigating the breakdown of the General Fees to find out why SGA isn't getting a larger share of this money. Unfortunately, until this campaign becomes successful, SGA will be forced to continue their present policy of extremely low club budgets. They have no money to give.
By Ray Crew
Parents Weekend Is Hit Hard By Money Problems
Who Sets Budget Priorities? By Lorraine Ostrowski
Money. It's one of the top ten topics of conversation these days . The college needs money. Clubs need money. Teachers need money . And Sally Smith in Grace Hall could use a few more dollars too . When afflicted with monetary malnutrition, many people become budget conscious, and Cabrini people are no exception. Suddenly people are asking, "Who designs the budget and how do they do it?" According to college president, Sr . Mary Louise Sullivan, an "effective Budget Committee" initiated five years ago by former President, Sr . Regina Casey, plans Cabrini's annual budget. Three faculty members, the four vice presidents and the director of financial aid comprise the committee which meets as needed throughout the year. Isadore Axler, vice president for business and finance and committee chairman, states that the committee begins in September to prepare a budget for the following fiscal year. The present fiscal year began on July 1, 1975 and will end on June 30, 1976. Thus the committee is presently designing a budget for the 1976-77 fiscal year. First the committee reviews the past year's budget and expenditures as well as the impact of
enrollment figures on the present year's budget. "Tuition," says Mr. Axler, "is the college's biggest single source of income." If the amount of tuition income does not prompt any budget changes, the President reports to the Board of Trustees. At their October meeting, the Board may consider some budget changes if unusual circumstances warrant some action. "However," Mr . Axler points out, "the college administration may implement changes in an emergency situation." Also in October, Mr. Axler sends a series of budget request forms to the vice presidents for academic and student affairs, and to several other departments on campus. Accompanying the forms is a set of "assumptions" to aid departments in formulating their budgets. For example, an assumption might state that expenditures for equipment may not exceed the present year's expenditures. Academic affairs annually consumes over one-half the total budget. This includes salaries, fringe benefits and operating costs for 22 departments, the library and academically related special projects. Each area receives a budget request form. According to Dr. Dorothy Brown, vice president for academic affairs, the funds are (Continued on page 2)
In these days of fiscal austerity, when a three figure club budget is as rare as the American bison or the cafeteria steak on Saturday, it is good to remember that there are some student activities which don 't receive any funding from S.G .A. While it is true that almost all budgets have been cut in half in recent years, there are some activities where this is not the case. Half of nothing still leaves nothing. It is ironic that these activities, Parent 's Weekend and the Christmas Dance in addition to being unfunded, are also among the most expensive on campus . Traditionally, Parent's Weekend has been sponsored by Kappa Sigma Omega . It has been the function of Kappa , not only organize and run the event, but to pay for it as well. Thanks to .the soaring price of almost everything, the organization has found it increasingly difficult to raise sufficient funds in re ce nt years. The obvious answer in the minds of many is to fund Kappa through S.G.A . or some other source. In the words of Kappa president Mary Clare Moran, "Parent's Weekend should be supported by the administration, the faculty and the student body because the event benefits the college com. munity as a whole." While that idea may seem logical on the surface it does present some problems . If funds were to come from S.G.A., for example, certain structural changes within the Kappa organization might become necessary. Kappa Sigma Omega is, after all, a type of honor society and consequently "exclusive" . Not being automatically open to all students, Kappa becomes ineligible for S.G.A. funds. According to Ms. Moran, this issue is a technicality and not pertinent. "Perhaps we have been exclusive in the past but this is not as true today as it once was." Ms . Moran also pointed out the fact that there are other "exclusive" organizations that do receive money from S.G.A. Singing is a prerequisite to joining Glee Club and a major in education is a prerequisite to joining P.S.E.A. Last year, when Kappa faced the same problems, S.G.A . made a two hundred dollar loan to the club . T.his year, all legal considerations aside, S.G.A. has granted them a fifty dollar donation. Barring further support, the organization will rely on car washes, bake sales and the like to (Continued on page 2)