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Candidates address budget concerns

With proposals to restructure student fees on the table and the "Non-BPC Crisis" still haunting the Michigan Student Assembly, candidates for the executive offices are discussing plans to create a more fiscally responsible assembly.

The Students' Party's proposal is currently the most elaborate of the platform proposals, outlining a five-point reform package for MSA's Budget Priorities Committee.

Under the proposal's guidelines, BPC would be limited to spending no more than half its alloted money for the academic year during the fall term's hearings, rate student group funding applicants on a point system to determine funding and create a funding request deadline procedure. The guidelines would also limit hotel allowances on conference trips and prevent the assembly from paying for airfares for trips less than 1,000 miles away.

"Overall, this plan would allow BPC the necessary organization to more efficiently assist student groups," the proposal stated.

Current BPC chair Matt Curin, Wolverine Party vice presidential candidate, said the committee has already discussed several of the Students' Party's proposals.

The Wolverine Party has proposed limiting allocations by semester and increasing the number of hearings from four to eight per academic year. Prioritizing BPC funds when setting an MSA budget and cutting assembly overhead are also important, Curin said.

The Michigan Party's plan for reform is based on a reserve fund for BPC.

"Not a slush fund or anything, but just a fund for cultural activities that might come up," said Probir Mehta, Michigan Party vice presidential candidate.

Financial reserves would be established to avoid the need to tighten purse strings and deny groups funding in the last few hearings.

"Fiscal responsibility is always keeping an eye on the budget," Mehta said.

The Liberty Party also suggested BPC set aside 10-20 percent of its funds for last-minute requests, but also proposed a reform of the way MSA collects its money.

The student fee on tuition bills should be voluntary, said Martin Howrylak, Liberty Party presidential candidate.

"Some people really do not want their money to go to MSA and it is our opinion that they shouldn't be forced to have their money go there," Howrylak said.

Howrylak commended the LSA-Student Government for offering to refund the student fee to students who say they aren't satisfied with that student government's services.

Independent presidential candidate Geoff Tudisco suggested the assembly coordinate with groups sponsoring events at Hill Auditorium and Rackham Amphitheatre to sell refreshments in the lobbies to raise money.

"We'd be trying to get funds through other means than just increasing the student fee each semester," Tudisco said.

A large part of the funding problem can be solved by the University, said Nora Salas, United Peoples' Coalition presidential candidate. Salas said UPC would call for guaranteed University funding for students-of-color groups.

Salas said students-of-color groups "enhance the environment for retention at this University" and that it is "somewhat ludicrous for them to have to go back and ask for funding each year."

For the remaining student groups requesting MSA funds, a clear and speedy process is essential, Salas said.