In Sunday’s Zoom meeting, Carleton’s Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) passed its budget on schedule for the first time since the 2017-18 school year, committing to lower spending across most categories in a balanced ledger.
Revenue is projected to decrease by $193,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with less students in residence meaning roughly $100,000 less in student fees and lower demand at Abstentions, the convenience store in Residence Commons run by RRRA. Expenses are projected to decrease by nearly $250,000.
“This is a very different year for the association,” RRRA president Jaden Slawter said. “It is unfortunate that we cannot give students the residence experience that they may have hoped to have.”
Slawter added that the annual residence formal will not be held this year and other programming costs will be reduced by the transition to online learning.
The nearly $44,000 budget for the residence formal in 2019-20 has been cut, as has most of the $21,000 set aside for frosh week and other programming. In its place, a total of $7,405 has been allocated for online programming expenses.
“There’s a lot less of a cost for online events,” Slawter said. “Where last year we spent over $3,000 for one event that was in person [at frosh], this year we spent only $405 for four [online] events.”
Last year, the association passed its budget in the same March council meeting it dropped the writ of election.
The 2019-20 budget originally showed a total revenue of $999,739.96 and total expenses of $995,291.80, but the numbers were adjusted in an updated version presented at this month’s meeting after many amounts were discovered to be wrong.
“In reviewing [last year’s budget] with our operation’s manager, she mentioned that the past president inserted incorrect numbers and did also not consult with her before presenting the budget,” Slawter said, referring to 2019-20 RRRA president Douglas Cochrane.
Slawter also served as vice president (programming) last year.
The total revenue on the original 2019-20 budget was off by more than $230,000, while total expenses were off by more than $175,000. The updated 2019-20 budget showed a net loss of $54,177.72, compared to a net profit of $4,445.16 in the original budget.
“There was a major loss and I believe that was due to the president’s tardy presentation of the budget,” Slawter said.
The council meeting also included updates from six of RRRA’s committees, who met for the first time over the past month after being formed following the September council meeting.
RRRA’s COVID-19 committee said it plans to launch a “Mask Up or Pack Up” awareness campaign, stressing the importance of wearing a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It also wants to plan virtual programming with Ottawa Public Health and Carleton to help inform students about the pandemic.
Health and Counselling Services is offering flu vaccinations in their offices in the Carleton Technology and Training Centre building by appointment only.
RRRA will also hold a Halloween costume contest through social media in the lead-up to Oct. 31. Students can submit their costumes through Facebook, Instagram or email. Submissions will be posted on the RRRA website to be voted on by students and the winner will receive a $50 gift card.
