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At its April 8 meeting, the University of Maine’s Student Senate cut more than $40 thousand from Student Entertainment’s budget. While this is a smaller cut than originally proposed, we think that this budget cut may be a bit drastic.
Student Entertainment has worked hard this year to increase programs for students with great success, yet Student Entertainment money made up a large portion of the proposed budget cuts – more than 50 percent. The question is: Why was a group that contributes to the whole campus – more than any other student government group -hit so hard?
The SE program fund took a massive cut, but estimates concluded it still had money to hold “one major concert.” But, Keith Biddle, vice president of student entertainment, said that the production of a concert alone costs $25,000, which does not include paying the band. Students are constantly calling for more and bigger acts to come to UMaine, so this cut is a step backward for campus entertainment.
Unallocated funds top off around $70,000. Student Entertainment can request more funds from this account, but whether or not it will get them can only be determined by those in charge.
Why did SE take the brunt of the cuts when it is something students obviously use and enjoy? This is, after all, the same organization that handles Bumstock, guest lectures and the possible return of UMaine’s yearbook.
We understand that in a perfect world, all the organizations and programs at UMaine would get the money they asked for. In a perfect world, Student Entertainment would get all the money it asked for.
Ideally, Student Government is run by and for the students. We hope that it took a long, hard look at the budget before slashing funding that benefits the campus as a whole, not just those working in the Wade Leadership Center.
We also wish SE the best of luck in bringing more great concerts, comedians and performers to UMaine.
