UPDATE: Details Emerge about Potential NYPIRG Funding Compromise

By Stephen DiFiore

NYPIRG office interior.

After weeks of unsuccessful communication between NYPIRG and the PSGA, the controversial issue of NYPIRG funding could come to an end on May 1, the final senate meeting of the semester, where the Senate will either approve or deny a resolution on partially restoring NYPIRG funding.

Documents posted to Pantherlink outline a compromise deal that was forged between members of the PSGA Senate and Executive Board regarding funding for NYPIRG for the upcoming academic year. The proposal would not remove pay increases of paid student employees.

The resolution, sponsored by Senators Charlie Caspari (LAS) and Julia Tortorello-Allen (Comm.), would partially restore funding for NYPIRG to a $5 per student per semester rate. The rate of the currently adopted budget is $4, while historically the rate was $6.

In addition, the resolution also allocates a salary of $1,875 for the live manager of Purchase Television (PTV).

The resolution was also negotiated with Finance Coordinator John Sullivan and Vice President and Interim President Alli McCloat.

To pay for NYPIRG and PTV, the resolution makes cuts in the following areas:

$2,000 from Submissions Magazine, which "will still be allocated more than their current operating cost this year."

$1,500 from the Culture Shock talent budget, which is less than two percent of the talent budget and less than one percent of the overall Major Events budget. The resolution said that this number is "roughly equal to less than one small performer."

$1,500 from the grant to the Office of Community Engagement, being that they were one of the grants that were not cut and that "members of the office have expressed that it could be managed."

$1,500 from the SUNY Student Assembly spring conference, which would make it equal to the spending on the fall conference.

$1,175 from the Green Fee Council due to NYPIRG's work on environmental issues.

$500 from Diversity Committee, at the request of Tortorello-Allen, who chairs the committee and said they did not need as much money as they were originally allocated.

$500 from General Programming's co-sponsorship with the Council of Clubs and Organizations, which would make it equal to it's money for co-sponsorship with students.

$450 from the Public Relations merchandise budget, due to concerns about overspending.

$400 from PTV's budget to pay for their live manager.

$350 from the Stood supplies budget, which should not affect events.

Caspari, who sits on NYPIRG's board of directors and is the incoming chair of the senate, said that he was "very satisfied" with the negotiation.

The vote will take place at the PSGA Senate meeting at 12:30 p.m. on May 1 in the Presidential Conference Room on the third floor of the Student Services Building.

Editor’s note: DiFiore is a former intern and Board member for NYPIRG and the Managing Editor of the Phoenix, a paid student employee position of the PSGA.