In preparation for the new University Center’s opening in 2009, Student Union has set aside $30,000 in funds from next year’s Student Activities Fee.

The money, which will fund new facilities and equipment for the building’s Student Union (SU) office, is one of many installments of funding that will come from the Student Activities Fee over the coming years. Although the funding will not directly benefit the students from whom it is coming, SU President Paul Moinester says this is the only fair solution.

“There is no other way to get that money,” said Moinester, who presided over the SU budget allocations this past week. “It is distributing the cost over the longest period of time.”

Moinester said that otherwise, a withdrawal of over $100,000 would need to be taken from the budget in 2009, leaving almost no money for that year’s programming.

“It is unfortunate that we have to do it but it has to be done,” he said. “It is the fairest way to do it.”

SU Treasurer Jason Lewis compared the move to college tuition management, saying that current students have a responsibility towards future students’ enjoyment of campus facilities.

“How do you feel about parents saving for their children’s education?” he said. “This is the same way. We think that it is completely unfair of us to push the University Center cost to people four years down the road.”

In addition, both Moinester and Lewis said that the funds will go only to facilities for SU, meaning that though the funds from the fee will not benefit current students, they will be sure to go to the needs of future SU officers and participants.

“We have a general interest, unless people want to move into an office with no furniture,” said Moinester. “In the long run it is going to be much better off.”

Lewis added that the decision also reflects a responsibility towards Washington University as a whole.

“We do not want to move into a blank space,” he said. We want to maximize the stuff that the university is giving us. This money will not be touched at all until the University Center is built.”

The principal concern arising out of SU’s action is that this allocation takes away from current student groups that could otherwise use the funds. Moinester says this year’s budget process was more equitable towards groups than last year’s, and that no harm was done as a result of the University Center planning.

“It is not getting taken specifically out the student group fee,” said Moinester. “Student groups got more money this year than they got last year. Student groups are not going to spend everything they are allocated.”

Lewis seconded Moinester’s words and added that the money is being taken out of increased revenue that SU accumulated over last year.

“This does not hurt student groups at all,” said Lewis. “It benefits them. Our revenues increased $115,000 this year. We took 28 percent out of the increase alone.”

Because of this revenue, Moinester said, SU had no choice but to use the Student Activities Fee for the deposit.

“Every year we get more money,” he said. “Because we have so much money, we are not going to have the opportunity to go to anyone else.”

Moinester added that if students want to give input on the budget allocations, they are welcome to attend meetings and speak to their representatives.

“Those meetings are open to the public and not one student showed up,” he said. “Not one representative spoke out against it. It was the only real option.”

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