Student Council debated and ultimately passed its 2009-10 budget proposal drafted by Council Chief Financial Officer Amanda Jenkins and Council President John Nelson last night at its first meeting of the academic year.\nCouncil's total budget for the year is $74,698 in Student Activity Fee and non-SAF funds - down from a combined total of more than $116,000 last year, including a notable decrease in the amount of non-SAF funds, Jenkins said. Last year's budget featured $52,451 in non-SAF funds compared to $20,202 this year, a 35-percent decrease.\nJenkins said sources for these non-SAF funds are drying up.\n"We're ... trying to be more conservative with SAF funds because things are getting kind of tight right now," she said.\nThe money will be used to fund initiatives of Council's individual committees and for everyday operational purposes during the school year. Council members spent a good deal of time reviewing budget requests submitted by each committee and assessing how best to allocate the available funds, Nelson said.\nLaw Rep. Corey Clay questioned the $30,757 allocated for Operational and Executive Expenses.\nJenkins said these costs include an initiative launched in conjunction with the Arts & Sciences Council that will be announced later this week, while the "rest are the general needs to keep the office running."\nSome students, including Graduate College Rep. David Hondula questioned the necessity of some aspects of these day-to-day expenditures, such as the $3,500 phone service for Council's offices.\nIn response, Nelson said the phone service is necessary given that there is no mobile service in the first floor of Newcomb Hall where the Council office is located. Nelson also noted that phone service is an annual fee that must be paid in accordance with Newcomb Hall policy.\nRegardless of this sort of debate about specific budget items, both Jenkins and Nelson noted that though the amount of money allocated has decreased, the quality of Council's initiatives has not. Nelson said Council's goal was to maximize what it could accomplish with less funds.\n"While our [budget] totals are much lower, the number of initiatives is actually higher than before," Nelson said. "We're actually doing more - we're just spending less."\nNelson remained optimistic that Council will have a successful year despite the decrease in allocated funds.\n"In the past, Student Council has never actually [spent] the money that's been allocated," he said. "We've actually spent less"
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