Wildcat World Fair receives preventative funding

After a debate that took more than an hour, the Associated Students of the University of Arizona Senate voted at its meeting last night to give $500 to the Wildcat World Fair funding.

The third-annual Wildcat World Fair was supposed to be a free event for clubs and organizations that choose to participate. Due to additional expenses, the clubs that participate are required to pay $48 for temporary health permits required by the Pima County Health Department if the groups sell food at the event. The event is expected to cost $6,400, and $500 is needed from the Senate to keep the cost per club to $48.

Sen. Dustin Cox, a political science senior, said he fully supports the fair. He added that while he is usually in support of diversity clubs, he is concerned about the $500 request to the Senate so early in the year.

“”Most senators want to support every other part of ASUA as we can, but Senate funding should be a last resort,”” he said. “”We usually don’t get these types of request until the end of the year when everyone else is running out of money.””

Because the event is one month away, he asked that Wildcat World Fair directors go to the Appropriations Board to request the money.

Sen. Seema Patel, a biology junior, and Sen. James Pennington McQueen, a history senior, supported the $500 petition.

Sen. Mark Copoulos, a history senior, thought giving money from the ASUA budget so early in the year would not set a good precedent.

Tommy Bruce, ASUA president, gave the Senate a friendly background reminder about setting a precedent.

“”Last year the Senate funded the Zona Zoo road trip,”” he said. “”You might want to think about passing the $500, and if the money is found after that, then it can be returned to the ASUA budget.””

The Senate agreed

with Bruce, and everyone approved the funds in the hopes that if there is a surplus up to $500, the money will be deposited into the Senate’s account.

Senate funds Pride Alliance ad

The Senate also approved $450 for a full page Pride Alliance advertisement in the Arizona Daily Wildcat.

Coming Out Week starts Oct. 8, and Pride Alliance plans to run the ad for National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, which encourages closeted individuals to announce and embrace their homosexuality.

The advertisement will include names of UA administrators, faculty, employees and students who are a part of Pride Alliance and that will be written in two columns across the page.

Copoulos suggested that Pride Alliance attempt to get the money through the Appropriations Board before asking the Senate for money because the Senate funds need to be used throughout the year.

Cox proposed they approve the $450 because they just approved $500 for the Wildcat World Fair.

All senators agreed to approve $450 with the hope that if there is an additional surplus up to $450 the money will be deposited into the senate’s account.

Copoulos reminded the senators to consider their approvals for funds carefully, since it is the beginning of the year and ASUA budget funds still need to go towards ASUA events.

“”We are setting a very dangerous precedent,”” Copoulos said. “”We have just approved one-16th of our budget for the entire year, and it is going to be a very long year.””

Cox agreed with Copoulos and summarized the two approvals.

“”I don’t want the Senates’ actions to be interpreted incorrectly,”” he said. “”We tried to recommend different avenues, and that should be viewed as our sincerity that we want events to be successful.””

Senators rescind ministry request

The Appropriations Board approved $4,360 of the $5,160 requested for the Priority College Ministry event on Monday.

However, due to ASUA by-laws, ASUA is not able to fund the event, said Sen. Amy C. Drapkin, a political science sophomore.

“”The Priority College Ministry situation was specific to a legal issue that was brought to university officials,”” Bruce said. “”The way in which ASUA runs, the Senate has oversight on what is allocated from the Appropriations Board, and that is why they are able to deny funding.””

“”It is not usually often that funding from the Appropriations Board is denied,”” he added. “”In situations of legality they have to be, and in the situation that senators have issues with the consent agenda. Historically, it does not happen that often.””

ASUA senators decided to overturn the previous rule of the Appropriations Board, thus denying the $4,360 request.

-compiled by Daniel Siobhan