Program representatives report success with El Camino’s student government announcement of a new funding structure that allows the athletics, forensics and journalism programs to get their primary funding directly from the college.
During a Sept. 6 Board of Trustees meeting presentation, Associated Students Organization representatives said after funding for several programs was shifted from the organization’s responsibility to the colleges, they have the opportunity to spend the funding elsewhere.
With the old structure, the journalism department had to ask for money for certain expenditures.
“The college has done the right thing, from moving the budget from student government to its own budget,” Journalism professor Kate McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin said previously they had to cross the desk of at least six different people on campus to get funding approved.
“With the money coming out of the general fund now, there are fewer restrictions on how we spend that operational budget,” McLaughlin said. “We can purchase a camera body and lens much easier than when the money came out of student government.”
Also newly funded by the college budget is the athletics department.
“I am confident that the decision they made was served [for] the students,” Athletics Director Jeffrey Miera said.
The athletics department still received supplies such as sports equipment and food for games from the Associated Students Organization (ASO).
“To clarify, we did not stop funding [all these] programs, we helped reallocate funding for these programs,” ASO President Jose Merino said. “So they got permanent funding in Fund 11, which is the college’s general fund.”
The college will now provide the department with these expenditures, with some continued assistance from the ASO.
“We are still giving athletics $30,000 for their meals and transportation so that the athletes can get the best food possible,” Merino said.
The money that the ASO would normally use to fully fund these programs will be used for student-centric events this year such as September’s Student Support Expo and the upcoming World Mental Health Day collaborative event.
“All the money that is available to us now after the reallocation is going towards what we call our advocacy and action plan,” ASO Vice President Jeon Park said.
The plan involves putting $99,000 towards events this year at El Camino and $55,852 will go towards programs that the ASO will still provide funding for.
As previously reported by The Union the ASO gets their funding directly from the $15 Benefits Pass.
The El Camino Benefits Pass is an optional fee at El Camino that funds the ASO and provides discounts for local restaurants, movie theaters, and other things as an added service and incentive.
Previously most of the money was used to pay for competitions, travel, equipment and other items to supplement student programs. Now, some of these items are covered by the general fund.
While the budget changes are new, organization members say the ASO’s priorities will stay the same.
“We want to continue to be a service-based advocacy-oriented organization that will continue as a student voice at the center and forefront of what we do,” Merino said.
