IUSA marketing budget cut

The finalized IU Student Association budget for the 2013-14 year contains a decrease in marketing expenditures and food provided for staff members.

Compared to the 2012-13 budget, cuts for this year include an almost $4,000 reduction in spending for IUSA marketing and advertising, decreased expenditure for office supplies, renovations and travel, and the complete removal of food expenses from the budget.

Last year’s 2012-13 budget allocated $10,000 to marketing and advertising, compared to the $6,142 budgeted for the 2013-14 year.

According to IUSA Treasurer Casey Baker, these cuts represent a desire of the current administration to eliminate needless spending and focus on students’ needs.
“We are really just trying to make it initiative-based and not spend it on frivolous stuff,” she said.

After amendments proposed by the Congressional Oversight and Reform Committee, the amount allotted for marketing was cut from $7,142 to $6,142. Funds were also removed from the budget for flyers for the Freshman Internship program in the amount of $550 and $2,000 from the budget for the spring Culture of Care speaker.

Funds removed, including the $1,000 removed from the marketing and advertising budget, were reallocated to the new campus recycling initiative as well as the $3,000 reserved for the funding of initiatives passed by IUSA Congress, a new feature in the budget.

Baker said the majority of the marketing budget is spent on promotional materials for initiatives as well as Facebook advertising and IUSA shirts.

She said this is done to ensure students across campus are familiar with IUSA’s
activities.

Some of the decreases in the marketing budget were situational, Baker added, including the cut of last year’s expenditures in gift cards in the amount of $2,181.75. The gift cards were given as prizes to incentivize students to participate in the VOICE surveys last year, Baker said. 

Baker also said the current administration has not advertised via Facebook, and she does not think they plan to do so.

Jalen Walker, co-chair of the IUSA marketing department, said in an email the department could benefit from receiving additional funding.

“No matter how much time we put into enacting new policies, they become ineffective if students do not hear about them,” he said. “I truly believe in the value of the marketing department.”

Walker said the marketing budget remains open because of partnerships with other campus groups such as Union Board and the Residence Halls Association.

“This year the executive board has been really pushing for partnerships with other student organizations, which has given us much more flexibility with our budget,” he said.

Follow reporter Holly Hays on Twitter @hv_hays.