Because of increased enrollment at the university MUSG has received an additional $23,500 more than was originally budgeted. The $23,500 will be divided among six requests, including $13,000 to Student Organization Allocations, $2,000 to a new marketing campaign and various event funding.,”
In a 25-1 vote, with one abstention, the Marquette Student Government approved the unanticipated revenue allocations for the Fall 2006 term in last week's MUSG meeting.
Because of increased enrollment at the university MUSG has received an additional $23,500 more than was originally budgeted. The $23,500 will be divided among six requests, including $13,000 to Student Organization Allocations, $2,000 to a new marketing campaign and various event funding.
According to MUSG Financial Vice President and College of Business Administration senior Kori Fojtik, the administration gives MUSG an estimated number of students to be accepted and then MUSG formats its budget according to the projected number of students.
However, the estimated number is "always on the conservative side so when the actual numbers come in we always have more money from the student activity fees than anticipated," Fojtik said.
The new marketing campaign, a one-page MUSG newsletter to be distributed at several men's basketball home games, drew some controversy at the senate meeting because of the high probability of the paper becoming confetti.
The newsletter will include MUSG news briefs, a basketball article and advertising of upcoming MUSG events, according to MUSG President and College of Business Administration senior Dan Calandriello.
"I believe this is a cost-effective method of advertising to students that's different," he said. "Not all students are reached through the advertising in the Alumni Memorial Union or The Marquette Tribune and these are the students we're trying to reach through the Basketball Marketing Campaign."
The letter will be distributed when the student section is anticipated to be full at men's basketball games against Wisconsin, Providence, Louisville and Pittsburgh.
In the Dec. 9 game against Wisconsin, the letter will be an "MUSG Semester in Review" theme, whereas the other editions will include MUSG election information, office position applications and student activity revenue, according to the unanticipated revenue allocation recommendation.
According to Fojtik, the Basketball Marketing Campaign is a "great way to try to get more attention through a different avenue of advertising. It will be beneficial to all students and MUSG."
Aside from the Basketball Marketing Campaign and an additional $13,000 for SOA, money has been allocated to the programs division of MUSG, which includes films, National Marquette Day, Marquette Excursions, Diversity and the New Programming Initiative.
The New Programming Initiative, which is a line in the budget that gives the programs vice president authority to start a new MUSG program, was allocated an additional $2,500 from the unanticipated revenue budget.
According to MUSG Financial Vice President and College of Arts & Sciences junior Stephen Ryan, the new program will most likely be a co-sponsored event with the Residence Hall Association.
Additionally, $1,500 has been allocated to the programs division of MUSG for the Dinner & a Movie programming scheduled for next semester. According to Ryan, there are plans for MUSG-sponsored dinners before the "extremely popular" movies showing at the Varsity Theatre.
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