Tuesday, April 21, 2009
That's quite "the package"
In today's Sagebrush there is an article about "the first ever ASUN stimulus package." It's a program presented by President Reilly to help students cope with the cuts to the University.
When the University got notice that it faced a huge budget cut in the coming year, the first thing they did was lay off about 40 of the staff, who for differing reasons were "unnecessary" or "a luxury" in this economy. But what wasn't widely discussed was that on top of the 40 people who lost their jobs almost a year ago (most of these people will be out of a job starting July 1) is that an even greater number of students were also shown the door. Departments were told they couldn't hire any new students and many students were not renewed.
Add that with an increase in tuition (possibly even bigger after the Legislature has ironed out the budget) and lack of student loan accessibility due to the rest of the economy, you have a perfect storm for lower enrollment.
I applaud President Reilly for his forward-thinking on this devastating blow to students. But I have one question: is this new program, Undergraduate Student Employment Stimulus Package (USESP), going to be introduced as a separate bill? Will the program's specifics be voted on by the Senate, and will there be an ASUN law dictating how the money is to be given out? Simply including the money in the budget is unacceptable. You cannot create a program and then provide no foundation upon which it will be run. I have no problem with it being included in the budget. I think the program is a great idea and could directly help students. But if the program is never authorized by the Senate in law first, it cannot be funded.
Newly elected Senators, I encourage one of you (maybe one of the newbies, but how about one of the other 2 people who ran for speaker) to draft at least a basic bill to create this program. I would also encourage the newly elected chair of the Budget and Finance committee, Sean Hostmeyer, to lead his committee by not just rubber stamping this budget.
For the newbies, here is a sample of things that should be in law for this program:
Newly elected Senators, I encourage one of you (maybe one of the newbies, but how about one of the other 2 people who ran for speaker) to draft at least a basic bill to create this program. I would also encourage the newly elected chair of the Budget and Finance committee, Sean Hostmeyer, to lead his committee by not just rubber stamping this budget.
For the newbies, here is a sample of things that should be in law for this program:
- Who administers it, who the coordinator is between ASUN and the Financial Aid office. Even if this is just Sandy or Yvonne, it needs to be written down?
- Who decides which department gets the money for the student, how they apply, the selection process (if it is done by committee, the committee needs to be created, just like the scholarship committees are created in PL75-52), and what qualifies a department as "in need?"
- Do the departments have to turn over their budget for ASUN to determine if they meet the requirements?
- Is the money the department's for the entire year?
- I know this is being compared to the ASUN General Scholarships that the Financial Aid office administers, but again that program is in Law (yes, it is).
- Do students have to meet the requirement that all other ASUN employees have to: a 2.75 GPA? If they are living on ASUN money, why should they be any different than an Inkblot employee.
- When does the program begin and end? Without an explicit sunset clause in law this could be a permanent allocation of $100,000 out of ASUN's budget. The way money works in government and especially in higher ed, is that once you've created something, it is almost impossible to get rid of (unless you're Gube Gibbons).
- And finally, there should be an open and public debate about the role of ASUN in this whole budget crisis. The previous two sessions really couldn't decide what ASUN's role was. Is it to take over where the University gets cut? Is it to just provide pizza and soda and parties? Is it to just issue resolutions condemning the budget cuts? That's a fundamental debate/discussion that needs to take place. While the START kids didn't get elected, there still needs to be somebody at the table asking, "Is this ASUN's role?"
Again,
Without a bill that creates USESP, IT DOES NOT EXIST, and cannot be funded.
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No bill, no program. Yeah, sort of like the SOAR program that existed for months before enabling legislation was enacted.
ReplyDeleteI really don't see how this problem will help. Only 50 jobs? It will only help a select few, I don't see how we are "stimulating" anything when 50 people are employed out of the thousands that need it. Obviously getting everyone a job is impossible.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think it is waste of funds of because of this. Just another attempt at trying to save a legacy that already looks bleak in my opinion.
What about having these jobs in ASUN? Maybe do away with some of the largess that is the administrative staff salaries.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually a great point that I didn't bring up in my post. Sandy's salary, with all the fringe stuff is equal to this stimulus.
ReplyDelete50 Students = Sandra Rodriguez
What a load of crap. I love how El Presidente has decided to unilaterally negotiate this "stimulus" plan without deigning to consult with the student's directly elected representatives (aka the Senate).
ReplyDeleteAlso, nearly 38 percent of the budget goes to 9 non undergraduate students. That seems way of of wack.
More reasons why I hope the 77th session has some balls.
ReplyDeleteWhat should be done then>
ReplyDeleteThis program essentially subsidizes the operation of the University. If the students think it would be a good idea to employ more students, they should be employed in ASUN.
ReplyDeleteAt full student employment at $9 an hour (20 hours a week for 36 weeks), ASUN could hire 15 new students and the benefit would remain entirely in ASUN.
At $10 an hour for 36 weeks, ASUN could pay for 277 hours per week of tutoring.
At $5,000 per year, ASUN could create 20 new officer positions.
This is an interesting proposal. Immediately, the student senators need to be seeking out advice and differing views on the budget as a whole. They are all novices and they're going to be pressured into making final decisions on the budget before they all leave in the middle of May (ideally, the execs and advisers would want the budget adopted by May 6--dead day).
The senators need to slow things down. The fiscal year does not begin until July 1. Even if they aren't comfortable with making final decisions by then, they could appropriate money toward stuff in chunks--months at a time if they wish.
Right now is a time for intensive study and thought. Our voice will be one among many providing information.