Associated Students Organization (ASO) senators voted today on the first financial requests of the semester that were presented at the weekly ASO Senate Meeting.
The first financial request for $4,000 was unanimously passed at the meeting, regarding the lease of the on campus food trucks.
The largest request that was taken to vote was for the Roundup News print edition, which was originally $12,000 and then reduced to $5,000 after review by the Finance Committee. ASO senators did not pass the request.
The ASO has a projected budget of $144,000
“About $110,000 is already allocated” said ASO Treasurer Fernando Aquino. This leaves the ASO with $28,000 for the remainder of the semester.
“We have $28,000 left in our account, we can’t realistically fund them $12,000,” said Aquino regarding the Roundup’s request. “We just can’t.”
A $500 request from KPC Radio for equipment and events was passed, but another request from the station of $10,000 for online streaming broadcast and licensing was denied by the finance committee earlier in the day and did not reach the senate for vote.
“They get funded $20,000 by the district and they get paid advertisements and they want some more money for whatever reason, and we don’t have anything to see where this money is going to. The expense report, we don’t have that,” said Aquino. “What the ASO usually funds are clubs, but this sounds like [something] the journalism department should cover.”
A $2,000 request from the media arts department for guest speakers was unanimously passed by the senate.
A request from the Pierce College cheerleaders for $140 was denied as well as a $1,000 request for “SEED Fund” at the finance committee meeting and did not make it to senate.
After the financial requests, ASO Faculty Advisor, Brad Saenz spoke about the importance of carefully allocating money directly to the students of Pierce College
“They’re doing a good job funding events that should be funded,” said Club Council President EJ Tormes. “That’s why we encourage clubs to fundraise.”
With $6,500 in financial requests passed Tuesday, that leaves the ASO with a budget of about $21,500 for the remainder of their fiscal year.
“I feel bad that we couldn’t vote yes on all the requests,” said Political Science Senator, Shane Mooney. “But I feel the ones we did vote yes on benefit the students more.”
