The Finance Committee of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico discussed what to do with an estimated $50,000 in surplus funds from the 2017-2018 school year Wednesday night.
The Balance Forward request is when ASUNM allots money that has not already been allocated previously to student groups.
President Becka Myers requested that $37,788 be sent to cover some of the additional cost of ASUNM’s eight student service agencies not previously covered in their budgets.
ASUNM agencies, such as Southwest Film Center and Emerging Lobo Leaders, are barred from going through the same appropriation process as other student organizations, Myers said in her presentation. Instead, these agencies must request additional funds that are leftover from the previous school year.
Much of the discussion was focused around funding Advanced Lobo Leaders, which is a part of Emerging Lobo Leaders. Myers recommended sending $3,400 to Advanced Lobo Leaders. However, the finance committee voted to reduce that amount to $3,000 on a 4-2 vote.
The Balance Forward request was unanimously approved after the Advanced Lobo Leader reduction. It is set to be voted on next week by the full Senate.
The remaining surplus will be sent into the general fund to be spent on other student organizations.
As the meeting came to a close, the finance committee was reprimanded by Senator Satchel Ben, President Pro Tempore, and Joanna Garcia of the Student Government Accounting Office.
“I don’t feel like you guys are preparing yourself at all,” Garcia said, referring to what she called long pauses and side comments during the meeting.
Included in the request was the purchase of a new computer and 4k monitor for the office of the president totaling $1,248. Myers said the current computer is a Windows 7 and shuts down every other day. She said the new computer would be used by the next four or five presidents.
Justin Garcia is a freelance news reporter at the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers ASUNM. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @just516garc.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
