The Missouri Students Association [2014 fiscal year budget](http://msa.missouri.edu/about-us/budget/fiscal-year-2014/) was done — or, it was until MUTV posted an [editorial](http://mutv.missouri.edu/?p=3682) about the budget Friday.
The editorial, written by MUTV Assistant General Manager Amanda Sohaney, condemned MSA for not discussing funding cuts with MUTV members. MUTV General Manager Molly Carlino, current KCOU General Manager Matt Brown and KCOU General Manager-elect Nick Holder were involved in writing the editorial, although KCOU was not specifically referenced in the editorial.
“I believe I speak for the entire station when I say we are extremely disappointed that our voices were not heard in the process,” the editorial stated. “I expect better from the entity that is supposed to be representing my interests.”
The budget, which Senate passed Wednesday night, cut $5,000 from MUTV and $8,000 from KCOU as well as funding from all other MSA auxiliaries and departments, except the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center. The RSVP Center did not receive a cut because MSA had to fund the coordinator position, which has previously been funded by a soon-to-expire grant.
The cuts made to MUTV are standard with cuts to all auxiliaries and departments, such as decreasing salary pay and cutting the travel budget. Specifically, the general manger salary was decreased, and the travel budget cut will not allow MUTV to cover away sports games, Sohaney said.
Student Media Coordinator Mark Johnson said pay cuts to the general manager salary cause issues because they can only be logged and paid for the hours they work. Therefore, if they need to work more, then they either have to volunteer their time or stop working. Johnson said he would like the general manager salaries to be on par with those of the MSA Director of Student Communications and Director of Student Services, who have similar jobs.
Sohaney said the cuts were not necessarily the problem, though.
“We understand everyone had budget cuts, but (MUTV members) were never asked our input throughout the process,” Sohaney said.
Vice President Zach Beattie prepared the budget and said that was not entirely true. Beattie spoke to all auxiliary heads about the budget cuts, including Johnson.
“He expressed all the concerns (MUTV) had,” Beattie said.
This includes the cuts to the general manager salaries.
“No new concerns were addressed in the editorial,” Beattie said.
Johnson said the bigger issue was that Beattie and the MUTV and KCOU general managers were unable to meet, which was not the fault of Beattie or the general managers.
The editorial also stated Beattie made the cuts “behind closed doors,” claiming that they formed the budget at Shakespeare’s Pizza. Beattie acknowledged a draft of the budget was made there, but said since then he met with auxiliary and department heads, re-editing the budget.
“I’ve spent at least 15 to 20 hours a week meeting with people or preparing the budget or dreaming about the budget,” he said.
After preparing the budget, the Budget Committee passed the budget, and Beattie brought it to full Senate for the first time March 20. Beattie presented the budget a second time April 3 and a final time April 10.
Sohaney and other MUTV members attended all the Senate meetings in which the budget was presented. They also covered the April 3 meeting and live streamed the April 10 meeting.
Beattie said that by the last senate meeting, issues with the budget usually have been addressed, although senators can still propose amendments or fail the budget at the third meeting.
During the third reading of the budget, no one debated or discussed the budget, something Sohaney said she was shocked by.
“I was under the impression that (the senate meeting) was more of a public discussion,” Sohaney said.
The public can speak during open forum at Senate meetings. Or, an MSA senator can yield their time to a member of the public during the meeting.
Sohaney said she and other MUTV members were told they would be able to speak when the budget was presented, as opposed to just speaking during Open Forum.
“Had we been aware we weren’t able to speak when the budget was actually brought up, then we would’ve spoken during open forum or found a senator,” Sohaney said.
Beattie spoke before the Senate meeting explaining the process but said he could have reiterated it more.
“Both parties thought that the other party understood how each other worked,” Beattie said. “When it came down to the actual Senate meeting, that wasn’t the case. I don’t think it was one party’s fault.”
Beattie said it would have been beneficial if MUTV members raised their hands or indicated they wanted to speak.
“This didn’t happen, so the assumption was that you attended the meeting for the sake of knowing what was happening to the budget, all while supporting your own auxiliary,” Student Communications Director Jimmy Hibsch wrote in the official MSA response to the editorial.
Beattie said that even if amendments had been made during the third meeting, he would have stood by the current cuts and decisions because they were fair.
“I just hope all of MSA will be open to others voicing their opinions and be more transparent of their process in the future,” Sohaney said.