WSGA proposes cut to childcare budget
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Cameron Billquist, Raven Petty and Ariel Smith are sworn in as senators. Sierra Jeter was on Zoom ready to be sworn in as director of the Health and Wellness committee, but due to scheduling conflicts an advisor could not be present to swear her in.
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Antonio Martinez, WSGA president, explains their budget proposal. The proposed budget cut to childcare was planned to add funds to Washburn Cheerleading and Dancing Blues.
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George Burdick, budget director, clarifies information about organizational funds. Some campus organization’s funds, such as the Campus Activities Board, were not discussed during the meeting.
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Emma Anderson, senator, asks a question regarding the budget. Senators had questions regarding many aspects of the proposed budget, including the possibility of increasing the cap of yearly funding for student organizations.
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Bella Wood, former campus and community affairs director, speaks about her experiences in regards to last year’s budget. Wood was concerned as only $500 was allocated to The Big Event, when over $3000 was spent this last year.
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Megan Dorantes, senator, questions the urgency of the budget approval. The senate ultimately voted to decline the budget proposal after more than 30 minutes of discussion.
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Trevor Ottman, speaker of the house, laughs while Benjamin Boyack, senator, gives his farewell speech. Boyack read a poem he wrote as he announced he will be leaving WSGA and transferring to another university.
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Senators Brycen Labertew, Colton Catoor and Valeria Ortega-Borunda laugh at Boyack’s poem. Members of the senate appeared to enjoy the poem which described in detail the last administration of WSGA.
WSGA has proposed a $5,000 cut to its childcare budget.
The budget cut from $25,000 to $20,000 was proposed by Antonio Martinez, WSGA president, and Tevin Asamoah, WSGA vice president, during the all-senate meeting April 26.
“Only six technical students use the program,” Martinez said. “There are more kids in the daycare, but the other ones are faculty and staff kids.”
Martinez said they felt that student money should not be used for childcare for faculty and staff, and that is what prompted the proposed budget cut. Money from the student activity fee is used to offer students childcare services through University Child Development, a childcare center near the Washburn University campus.
The senate voted to decline the budget proposal. Martinez and Asamoah will meet with their advisors to rework the budget to present it to the senate again.
Edited by Christina Noland and Aja Carter
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