The Student Finance Board (SFB) allocated full funding to two student organizations at its first meeting of the school year.
The largest allocation was for TCNJ Musical Theatre (TMT). TMT asked for $19,410 as part of its base budget for the upcoming school year.
The base budget for TMT is usually between $15,000 and $20,000. This year, SFB asked TMT to budget higher than usual. The purpose of this was to ensure the group got all the funds it would require even if SFB could not allocate extra funds to TMT's base budget. Jon Borst, SFB executive director, was "happy to see" the proposed budget under $20,000, even though SFB asked TMT to budget on the high side.
After a deduction on office supply funds, which will be proposed to SFB at a later date, TMT was allocated $19,130 in a unanimous vote.
The Leadership Development Program (LDP), which trains and motivates leaders from the College, requested a special appropriation of $2,642.50 for a fall leadership retreat in the Poconos that has been held every fall since 1989.
After reviewing the expense and income breakdown, SFB found a computing error. In adding up the total costs, LDP missed one expense, which increased the requested budget to $2,733.65. SFB discussed LDP's cause and in another unanimous vote, allocated the full $2,733.65 to LDP for its retreat.
Erica Klazmer, SFB administrative director, said she was planning to negotiate a lower price for transportation for LDP.
As part of a new SFB policy, groups who need bus transportation no longer have to reserve the buses themselves. Instead, SFB will handle bus reservations. According to the SFB Web site, the service makes it easier for organizations to get affordable transportation because groups "will no longer have to contact Stout's (Bus Company) or fill out any related vouchers."
Another goal of the SFB meeting was to elect representatives for open positions on the board. Toward the beginning of the meeting, SFB members started the interview process to find two candidates for freshmen representatives of SFB. Three candidates were interviewed.
James Gallagher and Mike Stolar were elected as SFB freshmen representatives.
During his interview, Stolar said it is "interesting (to) see how decisions are made and I would like to be a part of the decisions."
During the interview process, Terence Grado, SFB executive assistant, asked Gallagner, freshman finance major, why he wanted to be a part of SFB. Gallagher replied that he wanted to "have (his) hand in a little bit of everything and make a difference."
The candidates for junior representative followed after the freshmen. Six juniors interviewed for one position on SFB. Former treasurers of student organizations, a former member of the College Union Board and a fraternity member, among others, were interviewed.
Of those interviewed, Anjali Mone was selected as SFB junior representative.
