2 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2005 Congress won’t beef up budget with more fees BY STEPHANIE NEWTON STAFF WRITER In the wake of Student Congress’ budget woes, student officials said they will not champion efforts to increase student fees to cover the financial shortfalls. “We have a lot of money,” said Daneen Furr, chairwoman of Congress’ Finance Committee. “Denying someone funding because we have to budget does not mean we have a lack of fees.” At its budget meetings this week end, Congress had to cut funding for some speakers, as well as printing and publicity costs, because of a lack of funding for the increased number of groups that applied. But Furr noted that a messy surplus would result if student fees were raised, potentially creat ing more harm than benefit. “I’ve decided not to go through with that,” she said. “It’s not good fiscal management.” With concerns and complaints rising from various student orga nizations particularly those that were denied money for speakers Furr instead said she wants to change the binding process. “I want there to be more flexible money in subsequent appropria tions for speakers,” Furr said. The philosophy behind alloca tions this year was a commitment to review each request with a broader picture in mind, leaders said. “We have to fit each individual group and their needs as we see them into that whole,” Furr said. But she said Congress also must prioritize funding to established organizations, as outlined in the Student Code. uniquities 111 fa “/w* thna turk april dress chapel hill 452 west franklin street (919) 933-4007 raletgh 450 daniels street (919) 832-1234 www.uniquities.com robert r^ndolph AND THE FAMILY BAND .- ...M.lHllli—iw>v.' 19 FEB 2 ® DISCO * ~ RODEO 2820/NWJi'M/U DR .rXu.ICH . -h,iptn IrilJ V , ■’ school kids • online at otix .i,drti. phonX'?‘7 >der - . “There are standards that we operate on,” said Speaker Charlie Anderson. “Some are through the Student Code, and some are through precedent.” Among those standards are three central points that Anderson said lie at the heart of Student Congress’ allocation policies: an organization's cultural and educational value, vitality and specialization. Congress decided last weekend that magazines requesting fees would only receive enough money to print their first issues. “There is a glut of publications on campus,” Anderson said. “Publications spe cifically had fairness issues.” For this reason, it’s really just survival of the fittest, he said. “Some proposals are good, but they are just too much to fund,” he said. “We had a lot of those.” For organizations such as the Carolina Athletic Association that need to fulfill mandates spelled out in the Student Code, a certain level of experience and research is key to writing better proposals, said CAA TVeasurer Ginny Franks. “We’re the only student organi zation that’s codified,” Franks said. “I think they have a better sense of our funds and where the money is going.” While Anderson and Furr encour age groups to resubmit their funding proposals in the fall, both realize the complexity of the issue at hand. “It’s a double-edged sword,” Anderson said. “People are asking for the right things. They know the Code.” Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu. SOWING SEEDS OF LEARNING 1M First-grader Natalie Martin works on a sewing project at the Montessori Community School on Monday. Students were taking part in crafts hour, which provides time to explore different Carolina Union board names new president BY KATE LORD STAFF WRITER The Carolina Union’s board of directors recently selected anew face for the 2005-06 school year. Jonathon Benson, who has two years of experience on the Carolina Union Activities Board and who served this year as the CUAB repre sentative to the board of directors, was chosen Feb. 13 as the group’s president-elect. He was the community com mittee chairman for CUAB in 2003-04 and the comedy com mittee chairman this year. The Carolina Union presi dent heads the Union’s board £ ■ President-elect Jonathon Benson will take CUAB's reins next year. of directors and CUAB. The board manages the Union’s budget and policy and the general operations of the building, while CUAB is in charge of student programming. “The Union president is the main representative of the students’ voice for the Union,” said Ada Wilson, CUAB’s creative outlets committee chairwoman and a member of the Union board of directors. Although Union Director Don by UNC Deportment of Must and Carolina Union Activities Board more information, visit www.unc.edu/depls/muac/joz2feslivol.html > % Jfarolina Jazz Festival Wednesday Feb. 23 Friday Feb. 25 jsts Discussion/Conaerl UNC Jazz Combo* in Concert 7:00 pjn. PanPKbion: Thinking in Jazz J 4:00 p.m. East Chapel Hill High School 8:00 pm. Jam Session 500 Weaver Dairy Rood, Chapel Hill both at (aroHnttfn!l{berel Guest Artists: Dave Stryker, guitar, guitar, Ray Vega, trumpet \ H Marcui Roberts Trio in Concort S5 General ftp 8K)0 p.m. Hill Hall Auditorium General Public / SlB Students PhiMw^ jj^^^thn | l for complete schedule jfly SaturdamKwV North Carolina Jazz Nc „ Sgh s