‘U’ releases updated Student Affairs budget

In an e-mail that was sent to the University community, Vice
President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper detailed the extent
of funds that would be allocated to SAPAC and the Office of
Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, among other organizations.

Originally, Student Affairs had expected budget cuts of up to 5
percent. But Harper said in her e-mail that some resources have
allowed the administration to “protect“ and reinstate
partially some funding that had been cut last year.

“ … I believe strongly that further erosion of our
programming budgets would hurt our ability to support our student
communities,” Harper wrote in the e-mail.

SAPAC will receive increased funding in the amount of $70,000 to
enhance its services offering “safe space.” According
to Frank Cianciola, the associate vice president for student
affairs, this money will be used to increase appointment hours for
sexual assault survivors, and outreach and education
opportunities.

But Our Voices Count member and recent graduate Mia White said
the majority of the $70,000 would go toward the renovations of the
Counseling and Psychological Services, which now includes SAPAC.
OVC is a student group that formed to oppose changes to SAPAC.

The new budget also restores $27,000 in funding to MESA and Pow
Wow, partially reinstates $8,000 to Student Activities and
Leadership.

While Harper’s e-mail notes that funding has also been
increased to the International Center and its programs according to
federal regulations, she does not include the specific amount.

The administration’s budget also allots $25,000 to
“emerging opportunities.” Cianciola said this will
cover any issues or programs that come up during the coming year
that may require funds.

It will also be a resource the University can use to match funds
with student groups. For example, when Harper supported the
Michigan Student Assembly’s effort to restore Entrée
Plus at Michigan Stadium, the administration matched funds with MSA
so equipment could be purchased for that cause.

The administration has set aside $800,000 for infrastructure
repairs to the William Monroe Trotter House Multicultural Center
for the next two years, as well as $200,000 for immediate facility
needs. Cianciola said there are two primary purposes for
infrastructure repair. “We want to make sure that the
facilities are safe and fully functional,” he said.

“Some of those interior and exterior enhancements will
include upgrading electrical wiring and repairs to windows, and
some of those dollars will be spent to make changes that visitors
will be able to see when they use the building, “ Cianciola
added.

In addition to facility changes, the administration has allotted
$80,000 to support multicultural programs at Trotter House.

MSA President Jason Mironov said he was pleased to learn about
the increases in funding to the Student Affairs programs, but
especially regarding the Trotter House.

“This allows us to withdraw the request that we were going
to make to (the University’s Board of Regents) to increase
student fees by an additional $1 to support the Trotter House,
which was voted on the ballot last year,” he said.

Harper’s e-mail also states that the position of education
coordinator at the Office of LGBT Affairs will be expanded from
part-time to full-time.

During this past year, an alliance of students, faculty, staff,
alumni and community members called All Fired Up had protested the
University’s proposed restructuring of the office. The
changes would have included eliminating this education coordinator
position.

Harper’s e-mail also detailed changes to the University
Unions.