The Missouri Students Association full Senate burst into applause after unanimously approving the Fiscal Year 2014 budget Wednesday.

The budget, which goes into effect in July, was contentious among some students who opposed funding decreases to STRIPES and the Craft Studio. STRIPES will receive a $10,000 decrease and the Craft Studio will receive a $5,000 decrease, according to a [previous Maneater article]( https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2013/4/2/msa-budget-features-91000-cuts/).

Despite some students’ concerns, the MSA Senate debated very little when MSA Vice President Zach Beattie presented the budget.

“I think whenever anyone was able to see the big deficit we had this year and the budget cuts across the board, things made a little more sense, and it was easier to see why those decisions were made,” Beattie said.

Secretary of Auxiliaries Mahir Khan said there were rumors that services would be cut, especially the amount of rides that STRIPES could provide. Khan said this would be a last-case scenario.

Due to the budget cuts, STRIPES, the Craft Studio and all other auxiliaries and departments that received cuts will have to be careful about spending and increase fundraising efforts, Beattie said.

Specifically, STRIPES is working on an endowment and the Craft Studio is working to have more group events, Khan said. All the auxiliaries are working to generate revenue and become self-sufficient.

“We want this to be the year we fix these financial issues and make sure we’re headed in the right direction,” Khan said.

Although the budget and the semester are wrapping up, MSA is still keeping busy, Beattie said.

Progress is being made on the business attire lending program, which Beattie and MSA President Nick Droege promised in their presidential platform. A suit-lending drive is coming up and Student Services Director Sean Joy is finding a permanent location for the program.

Beattie said he is also working on a blue-light emergency phone app. If students feel unsafe, they can hold their finger on their phone screen as they walk home. If a danger occurs, they let go of the screen and the app alerts the police.

The Senate is also preparing for Senate elections from April 22-24 and is solidifying projects to begin next semester.

“We’re working hard to continue the momentum we’ve had this year,” Beattie said.