With students recently voting against the referendums to increase the Peer Education program and the Student Government Association fees, both organizations are finding ways to work around the financial defeat.
Melissa Dyson, the coordinator for the peer education program, said it was unfortunate the students did not perceive the need for funding to help the Peer Education program provide new projects.
“The Peer Education program will still remain visible on campus. Some of our newer programs will have to go on hold, and we will have to look for new ways to bring programs on campus,” Dyson said.
Dyson said peer education will also try not to cut back any programs or projects and will continue to work with what funds they have. She said fundraisers have been talked about as an option to raise funds.
According to Dyson Peer Education will continue to do programs on campus such as the stress free mid-term, sexual assault awareness week and the awareness tables as well as provide pamphlets or brochures for students on health care information. The new programs, such as alcohol education and Alcohol 101, will have to be pushed back until a later date.
” I do not see the failure of the referendum as an obstacle we can not get around, and students can look to see us working harder and more around campus,” Dyson said.
The SGA is also working around the failure of the referendum for an increase fee to fund their budget.
According to Jaret Hubbell, SGA president for the 2003-2004 school year, the problems with this year’s funding increase was that the SGA had not brought in any more money but had expanded its services which made the cost of their spending rise.
“I believe the referendum failed because of two reasons: there was no advertisement since the SGA did not campaign as hard as they could have to let students know the services we provide, and the students obviously felt that the money we have is already enough,” Hubbell said.
Alcie Maxwell, current SGA president, said the SGA is currently looking for ways to increase the money taken in by raising the price of the copies from the copy machines on campus from 10 to 25 cents.
“We can only handle what we can work with and will have to be extra frugal to stick our current financial situation out,” Maxwell said.
Hubbell said the SGA might have to cut back on scholarships, projects and money spent on student organizations depending on the cost of operation.
“We will have to take a look at the services we provide and prioritize which ones we need to cut back or find a less expensive way to fund our services. This is not to say the SGA will not be productive. We will work with the SGA committees to do policies and look for grants. There is a lot we can do regardless of the money, and I plan to get it done.” Hubbell said
According to Hubbell, the two main aspects for the SGA will be funding and balancing the budget. He said the SGA is still looking to find creative ways to match funds and hopefully will not have to drop any programs or current projects.
Charlyce Dankins, current SGA treasurer, said this year the All American food day, which incorporated the diversity theme, was successful, and the SGA plans to have another one next spring semester. Dankins also has a raffle planned for next semester and many other ideas in the work to help the SGA budget.
” The failure of the referendum is very much a problem for the SGA because we usually have $10,000 to work with and now find ourselves virtually moneyless. The second reason this is a problem is because we will not be able to give any allocated funds if we can not handle our operating expenses,” said Dankins.
According to Dankins, scholarship cut backs are the biggest issue the SGA is currently looking at. The SGA currently gives two SGA leadership scholarships to one male and female, the Raymond Elise scholarship to one male and one female and a $1,000 athletic scholarship to one male and female.
Hubbell said he plans to advertise this summer and fall semester in order to get the referendum back on the ballot for next spring. He said he will work with the public relations chairman but said all the campaigning will not work unless the SGA puts in work. Either way it will ultimately be up to the students.
“If there is anything the SGA can do to prove we deserve the fees increase students can talk to the senators or committee members. The SGA is an open ear, and we need somebody to talk into it,” Hubbell said.

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