SGA sets budget, increasing promotions budget

Southeast Student Government Association approved their budget at the Sept. 17 meeting. This year’s budget saw some changes from last year, one being the amount set aside for promotions.

The total budget for this year is $631,279.90, which is down from last year’s $632,224.03 budget.

SGA treasurer Caleb Ellenburg said last year there was no money in the budget for promotions, but SGA has had money budgeted for this in past years.

“Granted, it wasn’t quite as much as we’ve allotted this year, but we do have what I think are some pretty good ideas for what we’re going to use that budget for, as far as promotional items,” he said.

The plan calls for $4,000 to be used on campus outreach — items like pop sockets, sticky phone wallets, cups and water bottles are just some of the ideas, Ellenburg said.

With last year not having a promotions budget Ellenburg believes it was because it was not a high priority for them and used more word of mouth for outreach.

Ellenburg said the budget is not set in stone.

“The way the budget works, it’s not a hard limit, it’s more of a guideline for what we expect to spend this year based on what we spent last year and in previous years,” Ellenburg said.

This year personal services went from $79,950 to $37,312, which means SGA has lost a staff position and has the work filled by an GA, Ellenburg said.

Other increases include W.I.N.G.S., which went from $7,500 to $8,700 and name badges which went from $500 to $600.

Other reductions include ambassador student worker from $8,500 to zero, telephones from $940 to $1,060, catering from $2,800 to $500, smoke alarms from $1,500 to zero, postage from $75 to $25 and prizes and awards from $1,200 to $300.

“We reduce the postage because we didn’t use any of it last year,” he said.

However, they still kept postage in the budget just in case it is needed, Ellenburg said.

Smoke alarms were cut out because in the past they have given them out to students who lived off-campus, but Ellenburg said SGA believes landlords should provide those.

This year $30,000 is allotted for student organization, which is available for any campus organization that is seeking funding for a campus event or activity. The discretionary account has $34,000 this year, which is available for student organizations or individuals who seek funding for activities like attending conferences.

Ellenburg said some of the budget cuts were due to the state budget cuts the university has faced.

Items that were on last year's budget had did not make it on this year’s budget include air pumps, River Campus tables and SEclipe. They were not on the budget because it was on time spending.