WLUSU operating budget passes unanimously

The 2010-2011 Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union operating budget passed unanimously during Friday morning’s board of directors-elect meeting.

After a brief, five minute discussion with few questions raised about the changes over last year, all directors approved the operating budget. The budget outlines spending at all of the union’s operations in both Waterloo and Brantford over the next fiscal year.

WLUSU Waterloo has a budget of over $830,000 while the union’s Brantford component will receive $145,000. The budget for Waterloo has decreased slightly over last year while Brantford will see a mild increase.

Traditionally the board passes the operating budget in June, and only passes an interim budget in late April; however, this year the operating budget for the entire year was passed before the summer term and a meeting to approve capital expenditures will be held in June.

While the agenda for the meeting projected at least 45 minutes of discussion on budget issues, the board passed the proposal after only five.

Chair of the board Kyle Hocking attributed the few questions and general lack of discussion to the directors’ preparation before the meeting. President Kyle Walker and the vice-presidents gave presentations to the board and fielded questions.

“We wanted to make sure everyone knew how it was put together, how the numbers were arrived at and what the process was,” Hocking said. “Because we had a good explanation beforehand there weren’t a whole lot of questions.”

He commented on the budget overall, speculating that the lack of questions or concerns had to do with the strength and clarity of the budget as a whole.

“The budget was put together pretty well this year, the way it was presented I couldn’t see much room for discussion because it was all done fairly well.”