Preliminary ASI 2008-09 budget discussed

Tim Snyder, vice president of Finance, presented a second draft of the preliminary 2008-09 budget for Associated Students Inc. at today’s board meeting.

Snyder said the Finance and Budget Committee has been working on the budget for months and are looking for input from ASI board members and Sacramento State students.

The first draft of the budget showed a deficit of about $67,000 in total revenue, which means the total predicted revenue or income to ASI would have to increase by this amount to fund the total predicted expenditures or expenses.

The second draft that was presented today showed about a $72,000 predicted increase in total revenue to ASI. The difference between the deficit and change resulted in a proposed surplus of about $5,000.

The surplus signifies that ASI predicts the amount of revenue to be more than the amount of expenditures, which means ASI would be able to pay all expenditures with the total revenue.

“So now we’re in the green. We’re good to go,” Snyder said.

Curtis Grima, vice president of Academic Affairs, said he would like to see the funding for programs remain the same as last year. Grima said he is aware six programs that have not requested funding from ASI in the past are requesting funding for the next fiscal year.

Snyder said the Finance and Budget Committee spent three months looking through applications submitted from programs to ASI for funding. The total amount granted to programs last year was $261,000 and this year the preliminary budget shows a total amount of $294,000 granted to programs.

Some programs, including the College Assistance Migrant Program and LGBTIAQ/Pride Program, are facing a potential decrease in funds granted to the program. Other programs are not experiencing a change in allocated funds or have a potential increase in funds.

Snyder said different circumstances contribute to the determination of how funds will be allocated. He said each member on the Finance and Budget Committee looks through the paperwork, makes a recommendation to the committee, and a final range is developed for the potential funds that could be allocated.

For more information on the budget, contact Tim Snyder at [email protected] or (916) 278-4169.

Emergency Notification System at Sac State

University CFO Designee Suzanne Green and ASI Executive Director Pat Worley announced the creation of an Emergency Notification System at Sac State that would inform students of critical incidents on campus. Green said the system is in the process of being tested.

Warnings will be distributed through text, voicemail and e-mail messages. Students can currently sign up for the program at www.csus.edu/ens with a valid Saclink ID and password.

Students signing up for the program can enter their cell phone number and provider, and are given the option to have a test text message sent to their cell phone.

“The alerts would only be used in the event of an emergency that threatened the campus community’s health and safety, as well as provide protective action recommendations. Examples of such events would be a campus shooting, bomb threat, hazardous materials spills, flood or fire,” reads the Emergency Notification System website.

Worley said a drill and test of the system will take place Friday. The Emergency Notification System website says it will take place in the Residence Halls between 1 and 5 p.m.

Ashley Downton can be reached at [email protected].