The five student organizations that requested the GSB finance committee reconsider their budgets for fiscal year 2011-12 were given their final budget figures at the Government of the Student Body meeting Wednesday night.

The recommended budget for Ethos Magazine was proposed to be increased from the amount of funding the organization was given last year.

The finance committee recommended that printing funds be changed to $16,029 and all funding for office supplies be cut. This would allow the organization to print three issues of the magazine.

After hearing ways that Ethos could re-work its budget so it could better use the proposed amount of money that is allocated in its budget, the GSB was still uneasy about the increase in funding.

“I think that the group did a good job of going back and looking into other options to see what they could do,” said Anthony Maly, finance director and senior in political science. “I still am a little concerned about giving them more money when other groups did not get more money than had been requested.”

Michael Weber, vice speaker of the senate and senior in family finance, housing and policy, also voiced concern about the increased funding.

“Other groups were cut and they are going to be struggling to survive, and Ethos, in this case, would not be struggling to survive,” Weber said.

Halley Stille, speaker of the senate and senior in French, commended Ethos for the efforts it made in working to find a compromise with the GSB regarding its budget for the next fiscal year.

Jared Knight, IRHA senator and junior in political science, also was in favor of supporting the proposed funding for the student organization.

“Ethos provides a great service to students who read the magazine as well as great opportunities for the students who work for it,” Knight said. “If it were cut, it would greatly affect the students on campus.”

By a vote of 26-3-1, Ethos Magazine’s budget for the next fiscal year stands as recommended by the finance committee.

After the GSB disagreed with the finance committee’s recommendations for the Freshmen Council’s budget, the budget was sent back to the finance committee for a second time.

The GSB took an approximately one and one half recess while the finance committee reconsidered the budget for the organization.

The finance committee decided to fund $92 toward a mass email account, as well as $45 in funding for SAC Flyer Service and $50 for the Get Involved Book.

Derek Grygiel, engineering senator and senior in chemical engineering, said the finance committee came to the decision it did because members felt it would help the council improve recruitment efforts. The mass email can be sent out any time during the academic year and flyers can be distributed throughout the year to promote events the council is holding, whereas the Get Involved Book is only printed the week the freshmen council does a majority of its recruiting.

“We felt this gives the group a lot more versatility and they aren’t constrained to only a few days to advance recruitment,” Grygiel said.

With a vote of 29-1-0, the bill passed as proposed by the finance committee.

The GSB passed the budget for Team PrISUm as recommended by the finance committee, for a total of $16,280. The recommendation added $7,000 in funding to cover the entry fee for a competition. To make up for that additional funding, the funding in the motor refurbish line as well as $500 for a frame was cut from the organization’s budget for the next fiscal year.

The budget request for the Robotics Club was passed as recommended by the finance committee by a vote of 28-1-0. The group will receive $823.20 in funding from Capital Expenses and $823.20 will be cut from their competitive trips fund.

The budget for the next fiscal year for GSB was passed by a vote of 27-1-1 without discussion. The only changes made by the finance committee to the GSB’s budget for the next fiscal year involved the executive scholarships funding levels.

Other bills that were discussed at the meeting included:

• Funding the South Sudanese Association Night — The South Sudanese Student Association requested $400 in funding from the GSB to hold an event that will promote their culture. The money will be used to purchase food that will be served at the event. The bill passed by a vote of 30-0-0.
• Supporting recycling at the Memorial Union — The Memorial Union requested $951.88 to purchase new recycling bins to place around the Memorial Union. The new receptacles will be plastic and will last longer than the current cardboard ones. With a vote of 29-0-0, the bill passed.
• Keeping it Safe — SAE International requested $11,419.39 from GSB to purchase equipment that is needed to comply with new safety standards. The equipment is needed so the organization can attend their yearly competition. The bill was passed by a vote of 29-0-0.
• Televising the VEISHEA parade — The VEISHEA parade committee requested $4,000 in funding from GSB to broadcast the parade on Mediacom. The parade will be available on DVR and Mediacom customers in several states across the Midwest. With a vote of 25-4-1, the bill passed.
• Funding the Residence Hall Week Picnic — The Inter-Residence Hall Association requested $1,277.45 to fund the Residence Hall Week Picnic. The money would be used to rent tables, chairs and a tent for the event that would be open to all ISU students. The bill failed by a vote of 26-4-0.
• SHAC conference funding — The Student Health Advisory Council requested $500 from GSB to be used to cover travel expenses to the American College Health Association conference in Phoenix. By a vote of 29-0-0, the bill passed.

The next GSB meeting will be Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Campanile Room.