By Makayela Isbell ’20
Staff Reporter
The Gordon College Student Association cut club funding due to unexpectedly low enrollment this fall.
GCSA made a final 1% cut to the overall club budget amounts. The Tartan interviewed GCSA, the Campus Events Council, and the Student Body President to get each of their views on the matter.
Taylor Valci, Vice President of GCSA’s Financial Affairs Committee, said that GCSA’s budget is determined by the number of students enrolled. During the spring budget season, GCSA had expected 1,620 students and a working budget of $288,000; however, only 1,579 students are currently enrolled setting this year’s budget down to $287,000.
Valci said the budget cut was “not something she expected.” Valci said that she has been meeting with all club leaders to ensure that their clubs are, “financially fulfilled.” Overall, GCSA is making a one percent cut to club funding, however the budget cuts are “being felt on all sides,” . Not only are the clubs losing funding, but the members of GCSA are also having their stipends cut.
Rachel Diomede Hicks, the director of the most funded GCSA club, Campus Events Council, said that CEC was expecting a $76,120 budget. However once GCSA made their cuts to club funding, CEC’s new budget is now $75,358. Hicks also stated that there haven’t been cuts to any specific events because CEC is “still adjusting” to the new budget. In addition, CEC is trying to figure out how they’re going to pay their crew because, according to Hicks,“leadership stipends are still up in the air”.
The Gordon College Student Body President Davis Metzger stated that the GSA budget is calculated to be approximately “$91 per student per semester”. In June, they GCSA was expecting to cut three percent, but only ended up needing to make a final cut of one percent. Metzger also mentioned that back in fall of 2015, the former student government had to make a cut of almost ten percent to the club funding, so this year’s cut “is not nearly as significant.” Metzger said that he “made a formal recommendation” against cutting the GCSA advisor’s salary. When asked about his feelings on the current student government he said that this year is “the best government we’ve seen in awhile.”
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