The office of Off Campus and Adult Student Services – OCASS – is in jeopardy of closing next year due to a lack of available funding.

The Government of the Student Body Senate will vote on a bill tonight that will allow for funding of a secretary to continue with the office.

OCASS was funded by a partnership between the Dean of Students office and the Government of the Student Body. The Dean of Students office’s budget has been cut by 2 percent due to a budget shortfall in the Iowa Legislative session last year.

“Our office is 92 percent salary,” said Pete Englin, interim dean of students. “When you are asked to cut 2 percent of your budget, you have to cut positions.”

After the director of OCASS and the program assistant left last year, the Dean of Students office decided not to look for replacements, he said. The office will, however, still co-fund $5,000 for a secretary who will continue with programs related to off campus and adult students, he said.

The Dean of Students office will still provide apartment listings, legal service and student assistance to off-campus and adult students, Englin said.

The Web site offering listings of off-campus apartments is maintained by the office’s secretary, said Vernon Wall, associate dean of students.

“Our goal is to make sure to provide for adult students and housing needs,” he said. “Currently, through the Dean of Students office, we are available to meet with adult students one on one with their concerns.”

GSB has been reviewing the need for OCASS since the Dean of Students office announced it couldn’t fund it at the current level, said Steve Medanic, finance director for GSB.

“With the recent budget cuts, the office of Off Campus and Adult Student Services will be eliminated,” said Medanic, senior in physics. “They will be transferred into various parts of the Dean of Students office.”

The key concern of GSB is to ensure the services offered by OCASS will still be offered in some way, shape or form, he said.

A transitional year will be funded by GSB so OCASS can move its services from the old office to the Dean of Students office, Medanic said.

OCASS has asked for close to $30,000 from GSB, which will go to fund a secretary who oversees the transitional year, Medanic said. The office usually was allocated $50,000 from GSB, he said.

The money GSB will save from not funding OCASS will go to fund a staff representative for community relations, and the rest of the money will go to the special projects account, Medanic said.

The Government of the Student Body Senate will meet tonight at 7 in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union. The following will be discussed:

General Orders

A bylaw bill giving authority to the Senate to seat and remove individuals from the Senate and other committees. By Weaver, Kothenbeutel and others.

A bylaw bill rewording the finance bylaws. By Kallaher, Stallmann and others.

A bylaw bill reforming the finance bylaws. By Stallmann, Tinder and others.

A bylaw bill rewording the finance bylaws. By Tinder, Kallaher and others.

A resolution of GSB’s tuition increase proposition to the Board of Regents. By Luken, Weaver and others.

New Business

A bill rescinding the office of OCASS contract. By Kothenbeutel and Medanic.

A bill ratification of the OCASS agreement. By Olson, Wisher and others.

A funding bill line item transfers for the office of OCASS. By Kothenbeutel, Kallaher and others.

A funding bill funding the Iowa State Disaster Relief Fund. By Weaver, Tosaka and others.

A funding bill funding glass blowing tools for the Gaffer’s Guild. By Luken, Kothenbeutel and others.

A funding bill funding the ISU Student Environmental Council’s conference. By Tinder and Tosaka.

A resolution supporting the ISU community after recent terrorist attacks. By Kothenbeutel and Luken.