2008 Woodie Awards
ASISU refuses to fund student newspaper
Senate refuses to approve $5,000 contingency fund request to aid the continued operation of The Bengal
Ryan Hunter
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: News
The ASISU Senate refused to approve a Contingency Fund request of $5,000 to aid the Bengal Newspaper in its continued operation in what appeared to many as a politically and personally motivated vote during their meeting Monday night. This comes following a $4,921 approval to fund the Bengal Dancer's purchase of championship rings, and a $5,000 request by the Danson dance program to fund travel expenses to New York, which was approved immediately after.
In a vote of 10 in favor and 7 opposing, the Senate rejected the Contingency Fund request by the Bengal, which would have helped to resolve a financial crisis that the newspaper has been struggling with since the beginning of the academic year.
"Approval of the Contingency Fund request would have enabled the Bengal to operate with the appropriate staffing that the newspaper has had in the past," said Melinda Christensen, Editor in Chief of the Bengal Newspaper. "This funding was critical to maintain a functioning student newspaper, which is integral in having and informed student body."
The budget shortfall the Bengal faced at the beginning of the school year was inherited from the previous fiscal year, which caused the Bengal to face an immediate lack of funding that they did not create.
Several members of the Senate, however, felt the Bengal could have done more to resolve the budget crisis. This was even after Christensen explained that they had already cut staff pay and several positions, as well as greatly reducing the newspaper's size.
While most of the ASISU Senate, including Todd Itami and Matt Spencer, felt the Contingency Fund request was a good idea, there was not enough in favor to reach the two-thirds majority required to approve such requests. Also, the Senate gave no actual reason as to the logic behind the rejection of the Bengal's fund request.
ASISU Vice President Bryan Wheat even went so far as toinclude a comment stating that he would not allow further comments by Christensen before the vote. This, he said, was because he had already been accused of "procedural errors" in a Bengal newspaper article, adding a personal element to the Contingency Fund rejection.
Wheat was referring to the article "Contingency fund controversy," printed in the April 16 issue of the Bengal, where it was pointed out that he had violated the ASISU Constitution by voting to make the two-thirds majority required to approve the Bengal Dancer's request for $4,921 to purchase championship rings. He did not, however, vote on the Bengal's Contingency Fund request, and had no comment following the meeting.
Immediately following the rejection of the Bengal's $5,000 request, the Senate approved a request by Danson (after increasing it to $5,000) to fund their travel to New York for a national dance competition. The Bengal newspaper was the only organization to have their Contingency Fund request rejected.
In a vote of 10 in favor and 7 opposing, the Senate rejected the Contingency Fund request by the Bengal, which would have helped to resolve a financial crisis that the newspaper has been struggling with since the beginning of the academic year.
"Approval of the Contingency Fund request would have enabled the Bengal to operate with the appropriate staffing that the newspaper has had in the past," said Melinda Christensen, Editor in Chief of the Bengal Newspaper. "This funding was critical to maintain a functioning student newspaper, which is integral in having and informed student body."
The budget shortfall the Bengal faced at the beginning of the school year was inherited from the previous fiscal year, which caused the Bengal to face an immediate lack of funding that they did not create.
Several members of the Senate, however, felt the Bengal could have done more to resolve the budget crisis. This was even after Christensen explained that they had already cut staff pay and several positions, as well as greatly reducing the newspaper's size.
While most of the ASISU Senate, including Todd Itami and Matt Spencer, felt the Contingency Fund request was a good idea, there was not enough in favor to reach the two-thirds majority required to approve such requests. Also, the Senate gave no actual reason as to the logic behind the rejection of the Bengal's fund request.
ASISU Vice President Bryan Wheat even went so far as toinclude a comment stating that he would not allow further comments by Christensen before the vote. This, he said, was because he had already been accused of "procedural errors" in a Bengal newspaper article, adding a personal element to the Contingency Fund rejection.
Wheat was referring to the article "Contingency fund controversy," printed in the April 16 issue of the Bengal, where it was pointed out that he had violated the ASISU Constitution by voting to make the two-thirds majority required to approve the Bengal Dancer's request for $4,921 to purchase championship rings. He did not, however, vote on the Bengal's Contingency Fund request, and had no comment following the meeting.
Immediately following the rejection of the Bengal's $5,000 request, the Senate approved a request by Danson (after increasing it to $5,000) to fund their travel to New York for a national dance competition. The Bengal newspaper was the only organization to have their Contingency Fund request rejected.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 21
rr
posted 4/22/08 @ 6:50 PM MST
Perhaps there is more to this story than I can see. However, this looks like remarkable pettiness on the part of Wheat and a handful of ASISU senators. (Continued…)
Roberta Dixon
posted 4/23/08 @ 7:39 AM MST
Unless there are more facts reguarding this decision that have not been brought to light I would have to say that I am extremely disappointed in the ASISU Senate. (Continued…)
Carol
posted 4/23/08 @ 9:43 AM MST
I'm not a student, but I really like the Bengal newspaper. It provides a service to the campus community as a whole, by keeping us all informed as to what is happening on campus. (Continued…)
danisfun
dan
posted 4/23/08 @ 12:53 PM MST
i think the bengal is being very shady with this article. according to them the only one not to get funded is the bengal there is probably a little bit more to this story than what is being told. (Continued…)
Todd Itami
posted 4/23/08 @ 1:40 PM MST
While I am happy with being painted in a positive light in this article (thanks Ryan!) I will come out and defend Vice President Wheat by pointing out. (Continued…)
Bryan Wheat
posted 4/23/08 @ 1:42 PM MST
Hi, just so you know-- and as Ryan may have left out on accident, I was unable to vote on this particular request, because it failed overwhelmingly. Perhaps if it would have been on the brink of passing I could have been of some aid. (Continued…)
Jordan Cheirrett
posted 4/23/08 @ 4:08 PM MST
It has been brought to my attention that all ASISU sponsored line item accounts, which is what The Bengal is has to be operating in the black. SO whether or not the request for the money was granted from the contigency fund or from some other place with in ASISU doesnt matter cause the money is going to have to be repaid. (Continued…)
Melinda Christensen
posted 4/23/08 @ 5:14 PM MST
I would like to thank all the readers and supporters of the Bengal newspaper. I really appreciate the discussion on this matter.
I would also like to point out that this particular article was composed on a rather tight deadline and with serious space constraints. (Continued…)
Student
posted 4/23/08 @ 6:10 PM MST
First of all this is not HIGH SCHOOL, where pettiness thrives, this is a UNIVERSITY. Sorry Brian Wheat if the student paper was NOT your PR arm, that is not the job of the student paper. (Continued…)
Student
posted 4/23/08 @ 8:33 PM MST
Also, I think that its important to note that I like to critique ASISU without putting my name up because I have absolutely no spine or accoutability to my actions. (Continued…)
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