Members of the Associated Students Inc. passed the motion to approve their annual budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year at the University Student Union for students’ basic necessities on Wednesday.
The Consolidated Operating Budget is ASI’s annual budget composed of revenues and expenses used to fund the USU and all the events held on campus.
“We bring all of that together in order to build our program and service priorities and deliver those programs and services back to students,” said ASI Executive Director Miles Nevin.
Though the budget is still in the middle of some revisions, so far the revenue gathered from the budget consists of about $27 million. All that money goes to services provided to students such as the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, the Child Development Center and other facilities beneficial to students.
“Every expense category we have serves that mission,” Nevin said.
The budget will also go toward staff’s salaries and student employees. ASI Interim Assistant Director Joe Nino said the money will also go to paying off debts and mortgage for the USU and other facilities.
Nevin said he and ASI did a great job of maximizing their resources to provide a lot of programs to students. The student organization ended their budget on a “healthy spot,” not overspending or underspending on the funds and left some money over for a rainy day.
“We would love to be able to do more of it, but we’re really grateful for what we’re able to do,” Nevin said. “I think we do a really nice sufficient job for a campus our size.”
Scholarships also play a role in ASI’s budget. ASI Executive Vice President Diamond Byrd said the scholarships are open to any and all students that meet the qualifying criteria.
ASI expects to forward the budget to President Jane Close Conoley for final review by the end of May.
Nevin said ASI does what it can to serve every student on campus given that it is an organization formed and funded by students.
“This is an organization that really is foreign by students on this campus and returns so many important, crucial programs, back to them,” Nevin said.