Sixty-two student groups - more than twice last year's turnout of 26 - have applied for a slice of student fees to be doled out during this year's ASUNM fall budget process.
That's great news for students who will benefit from broader representation, senators said at Wednesday's Senate meeting. But the bad news, they said, is that the amount of money available for allocation by the Associated Students of UNM will not increase much from last year's $26,000.
"We'll do our best to be as fair as possible, but we may not be able to give as much money as groups are hoping to receive," said Sen. Grant Nichols, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. "There may be some unhappy organizations."
The fall budget, which comes from part of a $14 ASUNM fee charged to every undergraduate student, has yet to be determined. But Nichols estimates an increase of one to one and a half percent over last year's, corresponding with early estimates of an enrollment increase.
The Finance Committee meets with student groups during a two-day budget hearing this weekend, and members hope to present a budget to the Senate for approval at the next meeting. Groups should expect to get less than they asked for, said Sen. Tim Serna.
"A lot of reductions we made are a trend - if they ask for funding for six people to go to a conference we'll reduce it by half to three," he said. "None of this is unprecedented. I don't like having to reduce it, but that's the way things have to be."
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Along with a stretched budget, Nichols warned that the same problem would apply to appropriation requests submitted by student groups that need more money for expenses not covered in the fall budget or who miss the budget process altogether.
During Wednesday's meeting, the Senate approved two appropriation bills: one for the India Students Organization and another for the Pre-Law Association.
Both were heavily amended from the original requested amount The India Students applied for $2,835 and received $1,010, and the Pre-Law Association asked for $3,090 to attend a conference and got $1,545.
Amanda Zubiate, the Pre-Law Association vice president, said the funding was too low.
"This will only pay for three students; we need five for a mock trial," she said, adding that the group would only have 15 days from today to come up with the remaining $500 each needed for the trip.
Nichols said the committee did the best it could with available funds.
"It's not an easy task to have to ask organizations to pay out-of-pocket for conferences," Nichols said. "We're helping them as much as we can."
During the same meeting, the Senate approved a resolution by the Steering and Rules Committee to hold fall 2002 Welcome Back Days at the Duck Pond again instead of on the Cornell Mall. The location encouraged better communication and was more successful at getting students interested than last year's, according to the resolution.
The Senate also approved the appointment of former Sen. Josh Ewing as an ASUNM court justice, Danny Milo as ASUNM Elections Chairman, Keri Shiplett as Homecoming Coordinator and Jason Weaks as ASUNM Lobby Director.
Vice President Steve Aguilar and several senators urged the Senate to work with groups and other students who might be having a hard time dealing with last week's terrorist attacks. Several pledged to develop a resolution to express the sentiments of students.
