It was a poor turnout for Monday’s forum on the proposed budget model.

A group of eight students, who are also members of the Government of the Student Body, and three faculty members met Monday afternoon at the Memorial Union to discuss the proposed budget model.

Todd Holcomb, associate vice president for student affairs, addressed the current budget model as well as the proposed budget model.

“[The current budget model] was hard to understand and it wasn’t as transparent,” he said. “One of the things with the new model is we’re hoping it is more transparent.”

The proposed budget model calls for more student involvement, Holcomb said.

With the current budget model, students do not have a direct role.

“With the new budget model, students have more of a direct voice with the budget,” said Emily Jensen, GSB president and senior in political science. “We can potentially influence where our money is going.”

Students have the opportunity to be on budget advisory committees.

Applications for those committees can be picked up in the GSB office of the Memorial Union.

David Biedenbach, program manager and director of university budgeting in the provost office, said the proposed budget model is trying to tie cause and effect.

Biedenbach said the current budget model is very simple and basic.

“The new model is more responsive,” Holcomb said.

The current model is centrally funded, while the proposed budget model will be based on the number of students and credit hours in each college.

Holcomb said he doesn’t see this as a competition between colleges.

Holcomb also said the proposed budget is also academically driven.

“[The proposed budget model] can be beneficial for retaining students on campus, making sure every student succeeds,” Holcomb said. “I think you’ll see increased retention efforts from the different colleges.”

There will be another budget forum at 5 p.m Thursday in the Gold Room of the Memorial Union that is directed toward students who would like to learn about the proposed budget model.

To learn more about the proposed budget model, go to www.iastate.edu/~budgetmodel/.