Students on campus may soon be able to listen to the tunes of campus radio station KUSR, but the station has several obstacles to overcome before that will happen.

Rian Harkins, general manager of KUSR, said they are trying to get the station back on the air and, if all goes well, they may start broadcasting as soon as May 1.

But all is not going well, and Harkins said they are having several problems getting the station back up and running after last fall’s licensing problems with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). The station, which has already been approved for a construction permit, is now on a 30-day waiting period required by the FCC. It will receive a new frequency, 88.5 megahertz, if no one else applies for it. Then KUSR has the potential to get back on the air.

One of the station’s biggest problems is getting money to buy a new control board, which costs nearly $8,000. Harkins said the station needs a new board to pass the sound quality test to qualify for broadcasting. He said he does not know when the station will be able to buy the new board because it is waiting to see how much funding it will receive. Enter the station’s other problem—the possibility of receiving zero funding from the Government of the Student Body.

“It takes an incredible amount of money to run a radio station. We need the money from allocations,” Harkins said.

Last year, GSB allocated nearly $5,200 to KUSR. Because the station has been off the air, most of the money in their account is still unspent. Harkins said allocated money by GSB is normally used for operating expenses, such as telephone line and long distance charges, postage, maintenance of equipment and advertising expenses. After the station pays bills it has incurred this year and buys the new control board, Harkins estimates it will have about $1,000 left in the account to start with next year. Without any further GSB funding, he said, the station would be limited in its day-to-day operations.

“We could still go on every day, as long as we have DJs willing to come in. However, without the GSB money, it may limit the amount of promotional events we are able to put on,” Harkins said.

Steve Elliott, GSB finance director, said the Finance Committee had a close vote to determine the recommendation for zero-funding KUSR. However, the committee decided that since KUSR has not been on air for a year and still has money left from last year’s allocations, the committee would not recommend funding KUSR. Alan Beck, member of the finance committee and RCA senator, said that when organizations have funds left over at the end of the year, all unused money normally reverts into the GSB special project account on June 1. Because the Finance Committee is over budget, Beck said, it decided to allow KUSR to keep the money it currently has in its account, instead of reverting the money to the GSB account.

“The Finance Committee decided to zero-fund them, but we will allow them to keep the money they still have. This way it gives us the extra money to use in the allocation process so we may not have to under-budget other groups,” Beck said. Elliott said this is not the end for KUSR. The senate may decide at Wednesday night’s GSB meeting to send the recommendation back to the Finance Committee for further consideration, or KUSR can ask a senator to send a bill to GSB next fall for funding consideration, just like any other student group.

The zero-funding recommendation does not mean the senate is not giving KUSR money, Elliott said. It just means the Finance Committee recommends not funding KUSR now. GSB isn’t the only money source for KUSR. Harkins said it also receives funding from the Inter Residence Hall Association and is required by a funding agreement to raise between $2,400 and $2,500 from area businesses or promotional programs. The senate will decide at Wednesday night’s meeting whether to approve the Finance Committee’s recommendations.