Editor's Note: The Post's Student Senate article will now include a podcast of Staff Writer Joe Fox and Student Senate President Jesse Neader discussing current events that affect students each week. The podcast can be found below the article.
Ohio University’s Student Senate unanimously opposes rebalancing the General Fund and General Fee, according to a resolution passed last night.
OU is facing a projected $32.6 million gap in its budget next year, including $27 million in funding cuts in addition to $5 million in rising health care costs and $600,000 in utility costs. Academic Affairs Commissioner Zach George said moving money from the General Fee to the General Fund should not be an option the university considers.
The General Fund encompasses all OU funds, and the General Fee is used for academic support programs and student services, including the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual (LGBT) Center, the Multicultural Center, and Counseling and Psychological Services.
“It’s like trying to fix a sinking ship by stealing parts from another ship,” he said.
George expressed the majority opinion that OU should look for a more long-term solution than rebalancing.
Senator Emeritus Chauncey Jackson said the resolution will let the university know senate is serious about students’ well-being.
“This body’s primary responsibility is to protect the student experience,” he said. “As budget times get worse, this is going to be a conversation that continues to come back.”
Jackson said a 1 percent reduction in the General Fee would mean $30,000 less for student programs.
Senate President Jesse Neader said everything supported by the General Fee benefits students.
“I don’t know if I would be on this campus, be right here talking to you today, if it wasn’t for the student services enabled by this program,” he said. “We cannot go backwards in supporting our students.”
University Life Commissioner John Calhoun said he agreed Student Senate should support programs funded through the General Fee.
“When you take money away (from academic departments), you affect a few students, but when you take it away from these (programs), … you affect all of us,” he said. “It is critically important that we preserve this part of our university.”
Student Senate Briefs
Several students spoke out during last night’s meeting asking Student Senate to support the efforts of the Defend Education, Ohio! Teach-In and to attend the protest Friday. The event, which took place yesterday afternoon, intended to raise awareness of OU’s impending budget cuts. Zachary Fulton, a sophomore studying urban planning, said the teach-in inspired him to do more.
The American Red Cross will not hold a Blood Battle between OU and Miami University next year, according to a presentation last night. OU won this year’s competition 344 units to 221, but the Red Cross’s Dayton chapter decided not to continue the event for a fourth year. At-Large Senator Elisa Timmerman was given an Outstanding Leadership Award to thank her for helping to organize the event.
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Student Senate
