On Wednesday, the ASUA Senate approved funds for the Student Health Advisory Committees’ 8th annual Spring Break Safety Fair in March.
SHAC requested $1,000 last meeting to make up for the loss of the event’s typical sponsor.
Associated Students of the University of Arizona board members asked Sona Shahbazian, SHAC member and head of the safety programming committee, questions during the open discussion relating to the request.
ASUA Sen. Joey Steigerwald asked where SHAC looked for funding and if it received any.
Shahbazian replied that no funding had been received from Campus Health Service, the Residence Hall Association or the University of Arizona Police Department.
“Have you guys paid for anything up front or if you’ve already booked stuff that now you can’t [pay for]?” Steigerwald asked.
Shahbazian told Steigerwald that nothing had been purchased as of that moment, but that SHAC is authorized to purchase promotional items. Furthermore, it has yet to purchase T-shirts.
Shahbazian added that SHAC had put in the Facilities Management request and is going to be getting a tent from PRO EM and will be receiving a quote from it soon.
In response to the claim that promotional items were to be purchased, ASUA Sen. Josh Wexler asked, “Do the vendors have promotional materials they give away as well to the people who come visit?”
Although some of the vendors will be giving out little things like samples of sunscreen, or the UAPD which will be handing out bike helmet lights, nothing will have the SBSF logo on it, Shahbazian said.
Wexler also asked if SHAC had any remaining shirts from the year prior.
“I haven’t seen any of them,” Shahbazian said. “I know last year they ordered tank tops, and I haven’t seen any extras [lying] around.”
ASUA Sen. Brooke Serack asked whether SHAC has already purchased the shirts and how it was planning to allocate to the T-shirts.
Shahbazian said SHAC has not purchased the shirts yet, but the lowest quote was around $1,300 for 250 shirts. The shirts will be going to the participants and volunteers.
Serack said the club could hand out other items instead, such as water bottles or tumblers, to cut down costs.
Steigerwald asked if Shahbazian knew an approximate number of volunteers expected to attend.
“We have 15 clubs participating, … so I expect to see at least 150 people volunteering and working at the event,” Shahbazian said.
Wexler expressed concerns over the change in the budget that had been presented to the senate, which originally stated that for $1,600, SHAC would be receiving 400 shirts.
Shahbazian added that, regardless of the cost of the shirts, the extra money was still needed as the event was budgeted at $3,000.
“You’ve reached out to other organizations for funding requests as well, so if you do end with a surplus, what would be done with that money?” ASUA Sen. Jack Emery asked.
Shahbazian said that, unfortunately, no one was showing interest in funding the event.
The board then unanimously approved the request.
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