During their first meeting of the spring semester on April 9, the Associated Students of Central Oregon Community College debated what constituted appropriate funds requests, amidst a host of budgeting concerns

Noah Hughes
The Broadside

During their first meeting of the spring semester on April 9, the Associated Students of Central Oregon Community College debated what constituted appropriate funds requests, amidst a host of budgeting concerns.
The Early Childhood Education club requested $3,000 to attend a conference seminar, one which is mandatory for students before finding employment in that field.  The two-day conference would take place April 26-27 on the Central Oregon Community College campus, and cost $85 per person.  Since the ECE has 50 student members, they asked ASCOCC for an upward of $60 dollars per person, with the club to handle the remaining $25 from their own budget.  Matthew Coito, ASCOCC clubs coordinator, felt the club was asking for too much.

“To me that feels like a really high dollar amount,” said Coito. “How is this any different than another club saying its members can’t afford, say, their math books and making a funds request?”
Taran Underdall, the ASCOCC advisor, outlined the duty of ASCOCC to represent the students of COCC, especially when professional development is concerned.  According to Underdall, there are so many different conferences that students in clubs need to go to for one reason or another, that ASCOCC can’t be biased to one group or another..  They settled on approving an upward payment of $1,250 to the ECE club, equaling $25 per student from the club.  Each student would then have to cover $35 on their own.
In addition, there were a number of other funds requests that ASCOCC approved:
The Criminal Justice Program received $1,175 for upcoming events costs.
The American Sign Language club received approval for $25 per student for pizza and bowling.
The Garden club received $25 for potting soil.
Gordon Price from Student Life received $250 for a welcome back event for returning Iraq war vets, a nation-wide program being brought to COCC.
The Oregon Leadership Institute received $2,000 to go toward “Wanderlust,”  an outdoor tour and challenge course.
The First Nation Student Union received $600 to hire performers for their annual salmon bake event, and $700 for an arts and crafts event.

Several members of ASCOCC have their own projects in the works, and approved costs for several of these.
For the American Cancer Society Fundraiser, they approved $1,000 for ad space.
For Earth Day, 35 students are signed up for a Campus Cleanup, to take place on Sunday, April 22, from 11 to 2pm.  An approval of $200 was made for the cost of garbage bags, gloves and pizza and bottled water for the volunteers.
Voter registration is on April 19, and $250 was approved to make it a pizza and politics event during registration.
For an event to close out the spring term and celebrate graduation, Kyder Olsen, ASCOCC marketing and events coordinator, wants to put on a carnival.  She hopes to get members from many clubs and COCC faculty involved in the event, and asked the rest of the student government to come up with ideas and costs for attractions.  Proposals included a dunk tank and bounce houses, as well as tickets and prizes for attendees.
“I want to have a big, fun carnival with all the fun and events we can think of, to make a memorable end for those who are graduating,”  said Olsen.

(Contact: [email protected])