Pat Payne, who has been the face of Student Council for many University students over the last 10 years, has assumed a newly-created position in the University administration in order to help student organizations in a more tangible way.
While Payne has served as the Student Council receptionist for the last 10 1/2 years, she will now assume the new role of assistant to Student Activities Business Manager Bill Hancher.
Before, Hancher was the only person managing the Student Activities Fund, but now Payne will help him manage the CIO allocations.
Hancher said he looks forward to the extra help that Payne will provide.
"She's the most logical person because she has the best knowledge about the CIOs other than myself," Hancher said. "And she has a good working relationship already established with CIOs."
Council President Daisy Lundy said having two people manage the student activities fund will help keep things organized and better facilitate the budget and appropriations process each year.
Lundy said while Student Council can keep track of the resources they use, there was no way to keep track of the resources that other groups use so they decided to create this position. For instance, if Council needed to buy bigger, better computers to fit their needs, they could donate their old computers to another group.
However, Lundy said some CIOs buy the same equipment every year, which means that previous members might take the equipment with them.
Bill Ashby, Director of Newcomb Hall and associate dean of students, said after the opening of the Student Activities Center last school year, more CIOs registered in order to gain access to the SAC's resources than ever had registered before.
Ashby estimated about 375 CIOs had registered before the SAC opened but now there are 536 groups registered.
"To have one person handling that volume of groups was challenging," Ashby said.
Following the creation of the new position, CIOs will be held accountable for expenditure requests that may not be necessary.
Lundy said this will help make the most of the Student Activities Fund by having resources reallocated instead of falling by the wayside.
"To stretch student dollars from the SAF, we thought that Student Council would be taking a loss, but the Student body, particularly CIOs, would benefit," Lundy said. "It was bittersweet decision knowing that Ms. Pat has been with us for so long, but we knew that hogging her talent wouldn't be best for CIOs."
Payne said she would miss the contact with the students the most.
"Before, I saw all of the students and the Student Council kids," Payne said.
However, Payne added that she appreciates the added responsibility of her promotion and the opportunity to work with "kids" her own age.
"I love working with 'Hanch' and I still have student contact," she said. "Students come in to say 'hi' and they still have to come in here to get their checks."
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