The Rideau River Residence Association’s (RRRA) 2018-19 budget aims to break even this year, with increased funds for programming. The budget was announced during a motion at a Jan. 10 council meeting.
The newly passed budget follows a $654 surplus from the 2017-2018 school year.
The main difference this year is a larger programming budget.
In the new budget, funds for programming increased by $21,000 from last year’s budget, which Jacob Howell, RRRA’s president, said the association will use to host more events and provide more services.
This includes two of RRRA’s largest events—the upcoming residence formal and the SOAR conference.
Howell said the association is considering hosting smaller events such as a “The price is right” game show night or a talent show.
“We would really like to start utilizing Fenn Lounge a bit more and having more events in there,” he said.
According to Howell, RRRA is considering using the extra funds budgeted for programming by hosting a conference in the second half of the semester as well.
“The conference—given it happens—would be based around the idea of best preparing students to be successful in school in regards to things such as applying for scholarships, how to perform in interviews, how to construct resumés,” he said in an email.
“This conference would be held in residence and prioritized for our membership but open to all students.”
Additionally, Howell said RRRA managed to save on rent money due to the university offering to cut rent for the association during the summer months.
RRRA’s convenience store Abstentions is projected to make just over $750,000 in revenue this year, $8,852 more than last year.
This year’s budget also includes other changes, such as an increase of tuition credits from $6,695 to $12,722 for RRRA executives, which Howell said is because RRRA vice-president (programming) Mali Mapani is an international student.
At the meeting, Howell said RRRA is also in the midst of renegotiating their agreement with the university.
The current draft of the agreement includes a renegotiation of RRRA’s lease which includes the space for Abstentions, as well as RRRA fees collected from each residence student.
“It involves the distribution of student fees that we receive from each student in residence,” he said.
“We’re working on finding an agreement that gives us the autonomy to act in the interest of students without being affected by something that the university may be biased in wanting.”
“We’re just finding a happy ground—that relationship where we can work together—but again, where the university can effectively do its job, and us as a student union can effectively do our job,” he added.
According to Howell, the association will be meeting with university administration in February to finalize the new agreement, but this will not affect the budget in significant ways. θ
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Photo from files
