After a tense address from Student Association President Takeena Strachan, focusing on fiscal responsibility and positive change, the SA senators were tasked with deciding upon a special order bill resulting in cutting over half of last year’s club sports budget.
Senators voted to approve Director of Finance, Ryan Green’s, bill to restrict funding for club sports. After a lengthy debate, the senators passed the final amendment to cap club sports budgets at $135,000, including championship funds. This newly approved bill is an approximate 54% cut to all club sports, not including intermurals, compared to their budgets last year. The senate was deeply divided on this issue as they debated the bill and all its amendments for upwards of an hour.
The starting figure proposed by Green was $115,000 and fluctuated up and down until reaching the final compromise of $135,000. During the debate, Senator Isaiah Borges motioned to cut the budget down to $100,000, Nathaniel Goldstein motioned to amend the budget to $140,000 and finally, Senator Anna Constantini’s amendment to make the budget a range with a cap set $135,000, including the championship fund, was passed by general consent as was the bill as a whole.
“If President Stanely comes and says the exact same thing Ryan says, are you guys going to change the way you felt about it?” Strachan said.
Oswego State takes great pride in their variety and vast selection of club sports as it is often a major selling point in recruitment of new, prospective students.
Green stated that SA is currently responsible for funding 23 club sports which is more than nearly all other colleges in the nation.
“Ohio State funds their clubs 50% of what they claim [the clubs] need. Bigger schools take in much more money than we do, still feel that they fund club sports too much, and they are only funding 50% of their needs, and we are currently funding 100%, anything these club sports need, they get,” Green said.
After being asked by Senator Constantini, if the proposed budget is a practical budget for club sports, Green responded by saying that the budget would not be enough for all 23 club sports to survive. However, Green said no matter what number the senate decided on clubs will die.
Green reviewed the budget records after senators inquired about exactly how much specific club sports were being funded. This year the men’s club hockey team received $32,109, and the women’s club hockey received $33,904, Green said.
club sports in their entirety which is more than nearly all other colleges in the nation.
Members of such club sports do not feel that they are funded entirely. They are still responsible for paying out-of-pocket for many costly club related expenses.
The Thursday after the Tuesday SA meeting, Green told The Oswegonian that club sports are supposed to claim what they “need” and what they “want,” and prioritize the needs when requesting a budget for the next year.
“Ohio State funds their clubs 50% of what they claim [the clubs] need. Bigger schools take in much more money than we do, still feel that they fund club sports too much, and they are only funding 50% of their needs, and we are currently funding 100%, anything these club sports need, they get,” Green said.
After being asked by Senator Constantini if the proposed budget is a practical budget for club sports, Green responded by saying that the budget would not be enough for all 23 club sports to survive. However, Green said no matter what number the senate decides on, clubs will die.
Green reviewed the budget records after senators inquired about exactly how much specific club sports were being funded. This year the men’s club hockey team received $32,109, and the women’s club hockey received $33,904, Green said.
Photo by Hannah Leonard | The Oswegonian
