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Organizations that request funding from the Student Fee Review Board will have to make their cases at hearings held over winter break.
The board voted unanimously Thursday to conduct the hearings from Thursday, Jan. 10 through Saturday, Jan. 12. Classes begin Jan. 14, and in previous years hearings have been held at the beginning of the spring semester.
Some board members expressed concern that students who represent some of the groups that will request funding may not be available during winter break. Board member and ASUNM Deputy Chief of Staff Matthew Fleischer said it was unfair to hold hearings when potential presenters could not attend.
“I would be amiable to moving the hearings forward,” he said. “Students might not be back from winter break. If they’re from out of state, they definitely won’t be back.”
Board member Matthew Rush said scheduling the hearings even a week later would not allow enough time for the board to deliberate.
“The hard reality for us is the timeline we’re facing in order to hold these hearings, town halls and deliberations,” he said. “That turnaround for us is extremely tight.”
The SFRB will submit initial budget recommendations to the Strategic Budget Leadership Team (SBLT) on Feb. 15. Both boards will then collaborate to submit the final student fee allocation recommendations to the Board of Regents during the first week of March.
Board chair and ASUNM President Caroline Muraida said the dates shouldn’t be an issue because students who want to testify on behalf of organizations can come back early.
“If students are the ones presenting the financial picture and answering the difficult questions about numbers, then it’s really imperative that they’re there,” she said. “But, that student is probably also a staff member, which would be the case if they’re answering those questions. Staff is here during those two weeks prior to school starting.”
Muraida said the SFRB will draft and send applicants a document explaining this decision.
Changing policy
The board proposed giving organizations longer time slots for hearings. Some board members said larger organizations could use more time for questions during hearings because of their more complicated budgets. Board member and ASUNM Sen. Malika Ladha said that large budgets could require more deliberation.
“We should have that available time in case we need it,” she said. “I think we should have that sort of extra cushion just in case.”
The board did not reach a decision regarding the change during their meeting Thursday.
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The board also proposed that “tangible demonstrations” should be saved for venues other than during board hearings.
During last year’s deliberations, students often gave presentations addressing why they felt programs were important and deserved funding. One presentation included University band members, who played a piece to demonstrate why they needed new instruments.
Muraida said presentations should be reserved only for town halls or community forums for the sake of time.
“Hearings are primarily and solely for financial presentations, for financial questions,” she said. “And community briefings, town halls — that time is formal presentation of the tangibles.”
The board did not reach a decision regarding whether tangible demonstrations should be allowed during board hearings.
