ASI to experience 10 percent budget cut

Associated Students Inc. (ASI) will be working under a 10 percent budget reduction next year.

ASI President Kelly Griggs said the budget cut is not due to reduced funding, but a projected 10 percent cutback in student enrollment.

“We kind of have to take it as it comes, and I think they’re making good decisions as to what is being cut,” Griggs said.

ASI Director of Business Services Dwayne Brummett is currently working on the new budget with ASI business staff. The budget committee will review the revised budget. Once approved by the committee and the ASI Board of Directors, the budget will go into effect on July 1, the start of the next fiscal year.

“So at this point, it’s a little premature to identify specifically what will be trimmed because the budget’s still being developed,” Brummett said. “But our goal is to not sacrifice the quality stuff.”

While providing services for a smaller student population should equate in some ways, it does not add up for everything.

“If you want to hold the same kinds of concerts, they don’t come at a reduced cost,” Griggs said.

ASI revenue is used primarily towards programs, student government and on-campus renovation. For example, they are currently overseeing the renovation of the University Union Plaza, which is being paid with ASI reserve money.  They are also overseeing the expansion of the Recreation Center, which is being paid for by a student-approved grant. ASI also funds recreational classes, community outreach and other social events.

ASI funds are derived predominately from fees every Cal Poly student pays as part of enrollment tuition, but some of the craft and exercise classes charge a supplementary fee.

The ASI budget cut is not an isolated event, but rather a part of the CSU budget crisis that includes professor furlough days and faculty lay-offs. Assistant accounting professor Rodney P. Mock said while it seems like you could enroll more students to offset the school deficit, that’s not the way the CSU system works.

“Maybe the public doesn’t realize that, because we’re a state university, it actually costs money to send a student to school,” Mock said. “Hence the reduced enrollment.”

Business marketing senior Sydney Feeter compared the current economic situation to being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“It’s unfortunate this is happening but we’ve seen how bad the budget is,” Feeter said. “We’ve cut the fat; there’s no good solution. This isn’t anyone’s first choice, but this is what the college has to do to survive.”

As the budget tightens across the state, Chair of Economics Steve Hamilton suggested that programs like ASI look into other, more entrepreneurial methods of funding. Other options include raising fees for remaining students or cutting back on programs.

“Would a student prefer to have 10 percent less programs or 10 percent more fees?” Hamilton said. “It’s a little hard to answer that question because it’s not a market-driven process.”

While the cutbacks will take some planning to adjust to, the corporation is not entirely unprepared. Griggs said ASI staff have kept a reserve fund, “kind of for a rainy day, which we’re having now. So I don’t think the students will notice any difference.”

ASI currently employs more than 500 Cal Poly students at a variety of on-campus jobs and has a full-time staff of approximately 60 members.