Loyola’s literary journal “ReVisions” recently found itself without enough funding to print this year when the SGA budget allocations committee distributed funds to campus organizations on Feb. 2.
The group requested $2,738 to publish 1000 copies of the journal. However, SGA awarded “ReVisions” only $684.50 to publish 100 copies, a figure that wouldn’t even cover the costs to run the printer, let alone make any copies of the journal.
The budget allocation process allows student representatives from organizations the chance to appeal the results of the allocations.
“Groups that aren’t satisfied have the opportunity to come to a post-allocations appeals hearing and explain why they need more money, but ‘ReVisions’ didn’t come in,” said sociology senior Mary Grace Stewart, vice president of SGA and chairperson of the appropriations committee.
David Rodriguez, English writing junior and editor in chief of “ReVisions” was unable to attend the appeals hearing.
“When people don’t come in, we’re under the assumption that they are happy with the amount they received,” Stewart said.
However, Rodriguez and the rest of the “ReVisions” staff were not happy with their budget and requested time to speak at last week’s SGA meeting.
“We were given $1,000 less than we’ve ever been given in the past 10 years,” Rodriguez said. “This isn’t even enough to get the printers rolling.”
Communications junior and congressman Patrick McDermott, who has “ReVisions” as one of his constituency organizations, worked with political science junior and congressperson-at-large Karl Weis on the failed resolution that would’ve reallocated funding before Congress approved its final budget at the meeting. The largest amount, $400, was to be taken from Etcetera’s first priority on their budget – the annual Gayla scholarship fundraiser. Rodriguez delivered a speech to Congress and answered questions from the members, regarding his groups’ requests.
Though many members were in favor of the organization receiving enough money to publish, the vote rejected the resolution that would have awarded them $900 more than their original amount.
Several members of congress argued that setting a precedent of redistributing funds after the committee’s final posting would cause future problems in the allocations process.
“Every semester we have organizations request way more money than we have to give and we allocate out all the student fees we have,” Stewart said.
Even though the future of “ReVisions” seemed dim, the Loyola community has come out in support of the publication, and the group is still planning on publishing their book.
“I’m humbled by the people in the organization and outside the organization that have come forth to say that they cared about it enough to make sure it didn’t disappear,” Rodriguez said.
He said that many faculty members from the English department and visual arts department have expressed support for the journal.
“Mary McCay has said that, no matter what, we’ll have a book,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said that what has spurred him and others to take on active roles in getting the book published is the impressive work that has already been put into this year’s issue by the staff, which is much larger than in past years.
“We have more moral and psychological support and better work coming in, so part of the tragedy of this is that we were going to have one of the best books we’ve ever done,” Rodriguez said.
Although there were complications with the budget for “ReVisions,” SGA was successful in distributing budgets to most organizations that applied, with Etcetera, Delta Sigma Theta and the Music Therapy Student Organization being awarded the most.
Anna Garvey can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
