PPC gets $740,000

Student Government Board voted 5-4 in favor of approving $740,000 for the Pitt Program… Student Government Board voted 5-4 in favor of approving $740,000 for the Pitt Program Council last night.

The board’s split was the result of what some board members felt was a problematic system.

Because PPC does not have to submit documentation about where their money has been spent in past years, some board members felt they should not allocate the requested funding without further deliberation regarding the allocations process for “former formula groups.”

The groups – including PPC, Telefact, WPTS and Student Volunteer Outreach – follow a different procedure than other student organizations and are not required to give line-item budgets.

“I don’t have a problem approving PPC [the money],” board member Jennifer Anukem said. “I have a problem that I don’t know what I am approving it for.”

Other board members argued that they didn’t need to see a full list of PPC’s past expenses or create unnecessary paperwork.

Board member Alli Winn said PPC differs from other groups because it puts on programs for the entire student body.

“We aren’t freshmen,” Winn said. “We have seen the events of PPC. That is enough of its documentation of their ability to program for the entire student body.”

The board also approved funding for the Student Volunteer Organization, WPTS and Telefact last night.

Editor’s note: Read The Pitt News Monday for a full story on yesterday’s meeting.