Undergraduate Student Government (USG) is in the process of moving $200,000 into the Programming Board’s budget. The Programming Board regenerated the $200,000 last year through the five events USG brought to campus.  

According to USG’s bylaws, when a board has excess money left in their budget at the end of the year, the money is supposed to be moved to allocations.  

After talking it over, both the director of programming and the director of business and finance thought that it would be best if the $200,000 was moved back into the Programming Board’s budget.

For the new budget to be approved, three-fourths of USG needs to vote in favor of the change.  After there is a three-fourths vote, the decision is moved to Shay Little, interim vice president of student affairs. She is the deciding factor on whether the money will be moved.  

Director of business and finance Colin Otubu said that he believes the money would be best fit in the Programming Board because it would be much easier to spend the money in that budget rather than in the allocations’ budget.  

He believed that if it were to be left in the allocations’ budget, the money wouldn’t be touched. Colin also mentioned that the money could be easily moved back into allocations if necessary.  

Kevin Otubu, the Director of Programming on USG, said that if the money does get moved into his board’s budget, not all $200,000 would be spent on bringing just one artist to campus.  

The Programming Board has been making improvements year by year.  

Usually, Kent State holds three different events for programming a year, but last year, Kevin and his board were able to hold five different events.

Kevin also stated that other schools, like Michigan State, have been looking to Kent State’s programming board to see what is brought to campus, because of its success. 

“In recent years, we’ve been doing better,” Kevin said about the turnout and revenue of the programs brought to KSU. “Last years programming has been the best since I’ve been here at Kent.”

Colin said that President Warren and Dr. Little have had a strong initiative in advocating for events on campus that will allow students to have a plae to go that is both a fun and safe environment. “It’s huge money but with all the things that we’ve done, it’s really not that much because it costs a lot to bring acts here,” Kevin explained. 

Alexandra Gray is the student politics beat reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].