Tobey Veenstra

The Broadside

Presidents, advisors and members of Central Oregon Community College’s clubs and programs filled the Multi-Cultural Center room on Thursday, April 29 to discuss changes to the amendment proposed by the Broadside.

The changes, including establishing a student fee committee and creating separate funding for the Broadside, were met with mixed reactions from the meeting‘s attendees.

A student fee committee would provide oversight for Associated Students of Central Oregon Community College’s budget of $276,000, this year.

The proposal for separate funding requests that the Broadside Publications Board allocate 40 cents out of the $1.50 student fee to the Broadcast, according to an amendment petition from the student newspaper.

The separate funding would help the Broadside gain financial independence, which is necessary for a free and independent press, said Don Iler, the Broadside’s editor-in-chief.

Attendees of the meeting considered the proposed amount too high and expressed concerns about it decreasing the funding for other clubs and programs for the 2010-2011 year.

“My feeling was that it (the allotted amount) was just too much,” said Bill Douglass, COCC’s sports and recreation director. “I know it would have affected us.”

Iler said that this was not the intent of the proposed amendment.

“I’m reconsidering the amendment because of the many valid points made by Mr. (Bill) Douglass and Kathy McCabe (COCC’s criminal justice program advisor),” said Iler. “It was never the Broadside’s intention to remove funding from the clubs and programs.”

During the meeting, other club and program members suggested various compromises, including having a separate student fee for the Broadside and setting up an appeals committee.

Club and program members showed support for the student fee committee, although Brenda Pierce, the ASCOCC’s marketing coordinator, disagreed with it.

A fee committee proposal “didn’t look right,” said Pierce, adding that it was not the right time for the proposal.

The proposed student fee committee would handle disbursing and allocating the remaining $1.10 of the student fee and be appointed by the Council. It would also provide supervision for the student government by requiring them to submit an annual budget and provide a review of expenditures.

You may contact Tobey Veenstra at [email protected]