Bugetary adjustments rampant on campus
By Hannah Larking
News Editor
January 28, 2009
 The winter break was an opportunity for everyone to sort out some after-Christmas financial troubles, and the UWSA was no exception.
According to Tiffany Gooch, UWSA executives have agreed that as long as the student pub, The Basement, breaks even this year, they’ll be happy.
“We’re not really hoping for the pub to make a dramatic amount of money,” said Gooch, University of Windsor Students’ Alliance president. “We’re just hoping to break even.”
Gooch described the pub’s business as “not fantastic” but remained optimistic about its future revenue.
The pub, which was reported to have racked up close to $800,000 in debt, re-opened in August after being closed for three months.
While the UWSA tries to recover from this debt, they too have to contend with the deteriorating economy. “We are losing money on our investments like everyone else in the country,” Gooch said.
Gooch also pointed out the University of Windsor’s own apparent financial woes. “The University of Windsor’s financial issues are starting to become evident,” said Gooch, referring to a decision made at a recent board of governors meeting to cut four per cent in budgets of all departments across the board
“For student services that’s $400,000,” Gooch said. Gooch mentioned the threat to cut back on sessional staff that became an issue last year, but due to its impact on part-time students, was turned down.
“That was a huge issue last year and might come up again this year,” Gooch explained.
The UWSA also used the winter break to sort through 50 applications for financial aid as a result of the strike.
The money for this fund was donated during the strike by the Windsor University Faculty Association (WUFA).
“Forty-three [students] were issued funding,” Gooch said. A total of $8,000 was donated and $7,281.52 of it was distributed. The remaining money will be used to fund student appeals.
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