by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
Student groups who get money from ASUNM will see large cuts in their requested budgets this spring, said Andrea Roussell, chairwoman of the finance committee.
Student groups requested $277,000 more than ASUNM has available.
"There is going to be a tremendous reduction in each budget because of that problem," Roussell said.
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The student government has $522,000 available for the spring budget process. The money comes from a $20 fee every undergraduate at UNM pays each semester.
The first round of cuts is being made at budget hearings, where officers from student groups meet with the finance committee to discuss their budget. The committee then amends the budget.
Roussell said the committee has been cutting most budgets between 25 and 50 percent.
For example, the Art Student Association saw its proposed budget of $5,238 cut to $2,027.
Elizabeth Kimball, copresident of ASA, said she was happy with the process.
"It went well. It helped us prioritize what we really wanted money for," she said. "We were expecting that quite a bit would get cut."
The committee makes cuts from specific line items on the groups' budgets. For ASA, the committee cut money from journal subscriptions, advertising and honorariums for guest speakers.
Kimball said she would have liked more input into which categories got cut.
"You don't have much control over what they cut. They kind of cut according to their preference, rather than what we would want to have cut," she said. "But I guess the decision process is their job, and the requesting process is ours."
Jessica Kreese, the other copresident of ASA, agreed.
"I think we could have a little more input," she said. "But I'm not unhappy with the way it went."
Roussell said the committee tries to avoid such problems, but is also pressed for time.
"We try to ask them as many questions as possible," she said. "We try to ask them, 'Would you want us to reduce in this category or that category?'"
Student groups must fill out a budget packet before the hearings, which asks the group to name the top three priorities on the budget.
The committee will see 139 student groups over three weekends. Each group gets 15 minutes, including five minutes of speaking time and 10 minutes for the committee to ask questions and make changes.
Matt Beck, an ASUNM senator on the committee, said he understands the fast pace of the hearings might be difficult for student groups.
"If I'd never sat on this committee and seen all these proposals coming through, I wouldn't really understand what was happening," he said. "I'd be kind of dumbstruck to come in here and see my budget cut in half."
Groups that request $750 or less are not required to attend the hearings.
The committee cut the UNM Speech and Debate Society's proposed budget from $6,138 to $3,285. Emily Lappin, treasurer of the society, said she understands why cuts are made in proposals.
"Of course we're disappointed with everything that gets cut," she said. "But we understand why they have to cut. Every hit hurts, but they're not the bad guy."
Budget hearings are held in the SUB. The final hearing will be March 4.
A final budget will go before the full ASUNM senate on March 28.
The money will go to student group funding and other branches of ASUNM, such as the Southwest Film Center and Student Special Events.
The spring budget gives student groups most of the money they will need for the year, including money for office supplies and other general operating costs. The fall budget gives groups money for things such as computers and airfare.
