The Associated Students of Clark College (ASCC) Finance Committee discussed  potential fund balances and contingency funds for student activities on April 29.

    The Finance Committee had a meeting open to the public to organize funds that are requested from clubs. The Finance Committee is in charge of money that has to do with clubs and activities on campus.

    Dean of Student Success and Retention Ted Broussard said that the portion of money involved in the discussion comes from student tuition. The Finance Committee has $1,534,750 in funds available to them.

    During the April 29 meeting, the committee discussed the fund balances for the Anime and Japanese Club. Voting members denied the requested fund balance for the Anime and Japanese club.

    ASCC Finance Director James Owens said the committee voted against the fund balance for Anime and Japanese club because they did not hear back from Lisa Nelson, procurement and supply specialist. Owens said that before clubs request funds, they need to speak with Nelson. He said that Nelson deals with the purchasing services and approves the amount of money that clubs need to spend for event. Owens said that the Anime and Japanese club have an opportunity to appeal their decision.

    “It’s the student’s money,” Finance Committee member and music department staff Gordon Trousdale said. “That’s why majority of the voting members are students on the committee.”

    The Finance Committee discussed contingency funding for the ASCC. Trousdale said that a contingency fund is emergency money retained in case a club or program has an unexpected expense that requires extra funding. 

    A contingency funding request was made for replacement phones in the Student Life building, as well as a lap top. 

    Owens said that the phones would be used by ASCC members only. The request came from ASCC President Pat Mehigan.

    Mehigan said in his request for contingency funding that the money would go directly to 11 phones and one lap top. The request included that the lap top would be used by the ASCC Executive Assistant Heather Clarno and future executive assistants. Owens said that instead of having to scramble to write notes during Finance Committee meetings, the ASCC executive assistant would be able keep track of the minutes easier.        

    Since the committee threw out presentations for fund balancing and budget requests, Owens said that the Finance Committee has had enough time to make more decisions. He said that the Finance Committee would formally sit and talk about proposals forever, but nothing would get done.

    “The presence of the program director can be helpful,” Trousdale said.

    Trousdale said that cutting out the presentation for program directors did not speed decisions up during the Finance Committee meetings. As a former program director, Trousdale said that sometimes program directors might have information that could help the Finance Committee in the voting process.

    To be involved with Finance Committee, students can speak with ASCC Vice President Derrick Streng. Meetings are usually every Monday in the ASCC conference room from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.