The Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) passed their operational budget for the year with a unanimous vote Oct. 21.
RRRA president and chief financial officer Will Verschuren said he feels the vote for the 2014-15 budget demonstrates one of confidence in the council.
“It’s a huge motivator and we’re looking to move forward and to remain accountable,” he said.
Part of the budget includes $3,000 for a new residence student lounge. Verschuren said this lounge will only be open to residence students and will be located in Residence Commons.
The new lounge will be furnished with couches and tables and will act as a more traditional lounge space compared to Raven’s Roost which functions more as a games room, Verschuren said.
The budget also includes an increase in programming spending from previous years. The council is budgeting $98,150 for the year, more than double the about $40,000 allotted in 2013-14. The emphasis on programming, Verschuren said, is because the council believes the main service they give back to residence students is through programming.
“In recent years, we noticed a decline in funding towards programming,” he said. “We wanted to switch that around this year to make sure students get the most service for their student fees.”
Part of that programming includes RRRA’s annual sex week. Verschuren said students can expect guest speakers as well as an awareness campaign surrounding the week. Because of this, Verschuren said students could still benefit without attending any of the events.
The budget also includes an increase in expected revenue from Abstentions. The residence convenience store is projected to generate more than $922,000, an increase of about $136,000 from last year. Verschuren said this is because the store remained open during the summer months.
The council also expects to generate $135,000 in sponsorship revenue, not included in the budget, that will come from store vendors and other organizations across Ottawa, according to Verschuren. He said it will be used in event advertisements and giveaways or items like frosh packages, which were created through sponsorships.
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