KSSG Meeting 10/31

We had our second full KSSG meeting on Halloween. Now that the committees are largely formed movement is starting to happen.

Once Valerie Boyd (VP of Communications) gets the KSSG website updated and starts posting the minutes from the meetings, I'll link to them so you can read the details. Keep in mind the meetings are public so you can feel free to attend or ask that something to be added to the agenda.

Manu Tandon (mid-career and VP of Finance) did a great presentation on the deficit. Apparently last year money that the student clubs raised on their own was mixed with the Student Activity Fee money. When it was all said and done, about $16,000 of club raised money was spent by the larger KSSG. This money has to be returned to the clubs somehow.

To prevent a repeat, Manu's instituted a much more robust accounting system. Though I know there's grumbling that the process is too complicated for the clubs, his committee's really struggled with finding a fair but efficient way to distribute Student Activity Fee money to the clubs and doing the accounting properly. There are over 90 student organizations, which adds tremendous complexity.

As for how the deficit gets covered, Manu and Doug Levine (President) are still in talks with the administration.

Ann Hopper presented the budget for the Boston Tea Party and her plans for other events. The prohibitive cost for tickets and the lack of advanced notice were brought up to her. We also emphasized that when you add babysitting it would easily be a $75 or $100 evening out. Even though the tickets were subsidized, it's an open question how to bring the student cost down further while still offering a wide range of events.

A class representative from each class presented very briefly the top issues. Read the minutes when they're posted for details, but it was a huge range from fixing the squeaking chairs in Weiner to getting fresh pens in the Taubman study carrels to updating the curriculum and providing more family services. We listed as our top issues: a variety of academic issues, financial aid, family services, the alumni network and moving Dean Ellwood to support the American College and University Presidents Climate Initiatvie to President Faust.

And finally the VP's presented what their committees are working on. Tobias Vanderhoop (VP Internal Affairs) still needs committee members. Several projects are in motion in the Academic Affairs, International Affairs and Student services committees.