The Associated Students Inc. board approved budget cuts in a 5-4 roll call vote Wednesday afternoon that included closing the evening program at the Children’s Center, despite the pleas of more than a half dozen concerned parents and an audience of more than 70.

In a roll call vote, Directors Calvin Davis, Eric Guerra, Richard Lucier and Britt Randall voted against the budget revision, while President Jason Bryant, Vice President of Finance Paul Ueckert, Vice President of University Affairs Chris Missick, Director Elizabeth Jopson and Lorie Ojeman voted for the revision. Angie Crowley was absent.

The proposal was part of a package of cuts aimed at recouping a $360,000 deficit, with the largest deficit coming from the Children’s Center, the Aquatic Center and Peak Adventures. More than a half dozen parents spoke against closing the evening program.

“If you act now, the program is dead, and that’s wrong” Professor Chris Miller said. “I ask you to postpone this decision.”

Miller, a former member of the Parent Advisory Council and a faculty member in Communication Studies, also told the board that ASI Executive Director Carol Ackerson had not consulted with PAC about the proposal.

Ackerson said that although PAC was not consulted about the cut that there was information from previous PAC meetings. Miller, in a Point of Order, disagreed, citing minutes from a PAC meeting strongly recommending that the program stay open until 8:30 p.m.

Margaret Dunlap, a graduate student with children, said cutting back the hours of the Children’s Center will make child care issues worse.

“It’s not open late enough,” Dunlap said. “We deserve to be here and the effort and commitment it takes to provide child care service.”

David Phinney, an officer with the Graduate Social Work Association, proposed a task force be formed aimed at providing child care in the evenings.

“I’m not here to attack anyone,” Phinney said. “I’m here to start a dialogue.”

“We would like to open the lines of communication and work together with the ASI board to come to a solution,” he said.

Post Baccalaureate Director Richard Lucier spoke in favor of retaining evening child care, and proposed the creation of a children’s cooperative for evening care.

“There’s a solution to this problem and we’re willing to make it come true,” Lucier said.

Although ASI President Jason Bryant said he was willing to make the taskforce a reality, some board members voiced their skepticism, but Bryant assured that he would make it happen.

“You have my commitment personally that it is going to happen,” Bryant said. David Braverman, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, and Shaun Lumachi,, chair of the California State Student Association, were asked for their input.

Braverman said he was under the impression the cuts would only affect a small portion of those using the Center, and only 28 out of 250 families use the evening child care program. He said that the university will need to find a way provide this service as enrollment grows.

“I don’t have an answer that I like,” Braverman said. “I wish I did.”

Lumachi urged the board to approve the resolution for the budget cuts but supported Bryant’s commitment to resolve the issue.

“We have to pass this now, but also we have something more important; we have the commitment of the president.”