ASBSU president wants to give back a dollar

While talk of fee increases of 10 or 15 percent is drawing hot debate among students and

administrators, ASBSU President Nate Peterson would like to refund $1 out of the $18 that

ASBSU takes out of student pockets each semester.

Another idea he has offered is a “shutdown” of student government, in which meetings

would be streamlined and focus solely on the fee increase issue. A shutdown would require

a bill from the ASBSU Senate to enact.

He is urging the Student Senate to focus more on ways to avoid the fee increases.

Peterson said a move to reduce the ASBSU activity fee would make a statement to the

administration.

He feels the administration is focusing solely on the issue of student fee increases versus

faculty jobs and is not looking enough at cutting what he feels are examples of

bureaucracy.

Sen. Brooke Baldwin, sponsor of a Senate resolution opposing any fee increase over 10

percent, says millions of dollars in the state-appropriated budget are under the heading

“other expenses.”

Baldwin told the Senate Tuesday that she feels, while many of the items listed under

“other” are vital, that there likely are items under these headings that could be cut.

Imran Ali, ASBSU chief of staff, feels a move to reduce the ASBSU budget would compel

other Boise State entities to reconsider their own budgets.

“The most important thing is that it sets a precedent that ASBSU is going to seek different

alternatives to help with this budget holdback,” Ali said.

Peterson said a $1 cutback would likely not hurt ASBSU services such as funding for

clubs. Because a set amount is taken from each student, as enrollment goes up, so does the

available amount of money.

This semester, 16 clubs have been de-recognized by the ASBSU Judiciary, including

College Democrats and the feminist group SAGE (former Feminist Empowerment). Money

allocated to these clubs in last year’s Financial Advisory Board meetings leaves a hole in

ASBSU’s available budget.

Senate Pro Tem Brad Saito criticized during a report before Senate what he felt were

discrepancies, and “vague and ambiguous language” in ASBSU’s budget.

Peterson says FAB meetings could be screened more closely to avoid budget mistakes. He

also told the ASBSU Senate he would prefer to see non-essential activities suffer the first

cuts, not academic programs.

Sean C. Hayes

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