---- -- -
-------
The Metropolitan State College of Denver student newspaper, serving the Auraria Campus since 1979
October 25, 1991
Denver, Colorado J
AIDS victims remembered
'
Holden, Senate overspent by $6,868 in '90~91 Spending on travel topped $10,000; T-shirts, trophies included in swollen supply budget Chris Caylor Antoinette Vecchio The Metropolitan
•
Lllura Graw-TOllll I The Metropolitan
Friends and family of AIDS victims that have died gathered at the St. Francis Interfaith Center Oct. 22 for a candlelight vigil. The Rev. David Angus of the Auraria United Ministries conducted the service. See story page 15.
MSCD's 1990-91 student government under former President Dan Holden spent $60,887, 13 percent more than the amount allocated by the Student Affairs Board. Among the year's expenditures, which must be approved by the president and the student senate, were $10,472 for out-ofstate travel and $516 for Christmas decorations and candy that didn't arrive until after the fall semester had ended. The student government's yearly allocation, which comes directly from student fees, does not include any funds that may be left over from past years. The 1990-9 l government speot $6,868 out of $12,547 in these leftover funds to offset the budget shortfall. "There was nothing wrong with any of the expenses," said Holden, who now serves as events director at the University of Colorado at Denver. "Every single thing was signed off by the administration with the exception of the Champion." According to Assistant Dean of Student
Life Yolanda Ericksen, Holden attempted to use student government funds to pay for publication of the first issue of the Auraria Champion, an anonymous underground newspaper. Holden initially claimed the money was for advertisements in The Metropolitan, Ericksen said. A review of last year's budget documents also shows: • $3,836 was spent for office supplies, nearly double the budgeted amount. • $1,217 was spent for T-shirts and sweatshirts made exclusively for student government members. • $885 in food was purchased from Professional Food Management, the service that operates the Student Union cafeteria, and from Pizza Hut for various student government meetings. • $2,835 was spent to send two senators and a staff member to a three-day conference at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. • $157 in flowers was purchased for statf members Danette Ledbetter and Lori Wolfson and for Ericksen. • $496 was spent for 12 coffee and 13 beer mugs and engraving costs for student see Over spending page 4
MSCD escapes rriidyear tuition hike, but next year? . Barbara La Freniere The Metropolitan
•
.t-
Tuition will not increase forthe '92 spring semester at MSCD, even though the college will be cutting its current budget by 3 percent to adjust for Gov. Roy Romer's cuts in higher education, said MSCD President Thomas Brewer. "We're absorbing the 3 percent cut in
various ways this year," Brewer said. MSCD will use money from contingency and reserve funds, money saved from not filling positions, and will reduce travel to allow for the cut. The 3 percent cut amounts to $882,000 for MSCD, out of this year's $50.1 million operating budget. However, there are no promises that tuition won't rise next year, Brewer said. Romer announced cuts in the state budget of $48 million Oct. 17, including $14
million in education. However, Romer said it is important for the long-term economic health of the state that Colorado have affordable higher education. Companies don't ask about taxes when they are considering locating in Colorado, Romer said, they ask about educational opportunities. "How are we going to fund public education?" Rom.er said. "Do you want to maintain your public schools the way you have them, or do you want to cut them back?"
Romer advocated a tax increase and revamping of the School Finance Act when the legislature reconvenes in January. He predicted a $200 million additional shortfall for higher education and said further cuts in state aid will be made if revenue shortfalls are not addressed by the legislature. "We are living beyond our revenue sources," Romer said. "We may have to carve this budget back substantially."
News
Features
Sports
Did MSCD graduates really graduate in administration's eyes?
Auraria students race through campus to find recycling bins
MSCD fan an inspiration in the selfish .world of sports
Page3
Page 10
Page 19
see Tuition hike page 4