The final hearing for the proposed ASUW budget for fiscal year 2023 saw the senate gallery packed with members of fraternities and sororities ready to protect their funding.
Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) brothers and sisters descended on the hearing to have their voices heard on the budget proposed a week earlier during its first reading, which allocated zero funding to greek life on campus.
Deliberation regarding the budget set to be allocated to FSL on campus went on for the greater part of four and a half hours.
“We use our ASUW budget to recruit, retain, and grow a sense of community, which is absolutely necessary to keep our community growing and progressing.” Madison Engelby, vice president of organization for the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, said in the open forum.
“Without the progress and growth of the single largest program on this campus, a massive community’s lights would dim and leave hundreds of students without the programs positions, councils, chapters, sisters and brothers that made them who they are today.”
Engelby was joined by many other FSL members speaking during the open forum including Carson Stinson, president of the Interfraternity Council (IFC).
“I see no ground for the way our budget was stripped from us with no communication from the budget and planning committee prior to the initial budget hearing and after the final appeal hearing.”
Both senators and FSL members alike, throughout the meeting, expressed lack of communication as being detrimental to the relationship and ultimately one of the causes for decreased funding.
“There have been consistent reports for at least the past three consecutive semesters of little to no responses on emails, doodle pools, invitations to sit on committees or ideas for collaboration.” Sen. Hannah Rhymes said during the speaking list for the College Panhellenic Council (CPH) budget.
Other than showing up to the meeting to explain their importance and case for funding, both IFC and the CPH brought three amendments to the budget to propose to the senate.
The first amendment was funding for a summer intern as well as funds to keep email services up and active for FSL.
The second was money to be spent on software programs utilized in recruiting, interchapter communication, and philanthropic events.
The third was to provide funding for advertising to FSL.
Ultimately the first amendment was voted on and split into two separate amendments. One pertaining to the funding for a summer intern, and the other for funding for emails.
“The summer intern will aid in the transition of responsibilities to be reallocated between the FSL staff, this intern will support strategic planning for future semesters.” Payton Mcandree, CPH’s ASUW liaison, said of the importance of the role.
After further voting the amendment to provide funding for the summer intern was approved, the other amendment pertaining to email funding was not.
With the amendment’s passage, the budget was $3,618. Senators decided to take money out of ASUW reserve funds to ensure the budget was once again balanced.
Debate continued for hours after these sets of votes, however, none of the other FSL proposed amendments passed.
The budget passed by unanimous vote.
