Less Money, Fewer Jobs: Student body president weighs in on budget cuts

Kathryn Edmunds has some suggestions as to where she thinks your student fees should be spent next year.

The+Board+of+Governors+will+meet+in+the+Majestic+Palm+Room+of+the+Student+Union.

Tim Murphy

The Board of Governors will meet in the Majestic Palm Room of the Student Union.

Gregory Cox, Managing Editor

Even less money than previously expected will be going to pay student employees if new recommendations from student body President Kathryn Edmunds are accepted, according to documents obtained by the University Press.

The University Budget and Appropriations Committee — composed of Student Government members — made its initial proposal on Jan. 28. The committee is responsible for allocating the activity and service fees that students pay as part of their tuition.


Less Money, Fewer Jobs: Student media, graduate students take brunt of budget cuts


This year, the members are forced to cut back spending because student organizations are asking for more money than the UBAC is expecting to receive.

The biggest cut is the collective $200,000 to Student Media — made up of Owl TV, Owl Radio, and the University Press — and the Graduate and Professional Student Association. These four organizations are taking about 40 percent of the entire $500,000 cut.

Kathryn Edmunds. Photo by Max Jackson | Photo Editor
Kathryn Edmunds. Photo by Max Jackson | Staff Photographer

Edmunds is suggesting cutting over $36,000 in student stipends from the Activity and Service, Accounting and Budget Office and $29,000 from Boca Raton Program Board — which pays for concerts and other on-campus activities.

She wants to reallocate the bulk of that money to pay for the salaries and benefits of professional staff in the department of Student Media and Student Involvement and Leadership in Davie.

In order for the budget to be approved, it must be signed of by the student senate, student body president, Vice President of Student Affairs Corey King and FAU President John Kelly.

The new changes will be presented to the Student Senate for a vote on Friday Feb. 26 at 5 p.m.

Gregory Cox is the managing editor of the University Press. If you would like to contact him regarding this or other stories, he can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.