By Max Prinz
The Student Life Council voted to increase the referendum funding for Fordham University Emergency Medical Services (FUEMS) from $10,000 to $25,000 a semester on Wednesday after receiving an appeal. SLC voted 10-0-5 to increase the referendum for FUEMS, hearing testimony from both United Student Government Vice President of Finance Kara Norton, GSB ’16, and Director of FUEMS Chris Valenza.
Valenza presented the SLC with budget information for the past three semesters, including the current Fall 2014 semester, showing the increasing costs FUEMS has incurred, as well as statistics showing the increase in student need for emergency medical services.
Norton also provided the council with a level of context, saying that clubs like Peer Educators and Mock Trial both have budgets in the $20,000 range.
Increasing the referendum is a two-step process that first requires the club to meet with USG’s budget committee. Once approved by the budget committee, the club appeals directly to the SLC for a final vote of approval.
“As any other club or organization, FUEMS experiences many costs throughout the year,” Valenza said in a letter to the council. “In the past, the budget allocated to FUEMS has been just sufficient to get by. Unfortunately, with rising medical costs and new [New York State Department of Health] standards, FUEMS is in desperate need of more funding.”
The packet distributed by Valenza also outlined the club’s plans for new spending, including the purchase of an Emergency Ambulance Service Vehicle or “Fly Car” that would increase FUEMS’ ability to respond to students on campus in need of treatment, the purchase of automated external defibrillators for each building on campus and the need for money to comply with new New York State Department of Health regulations to produce electronic care reports.
Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students Christopher Rodgers commended Valenza on his presentation, as well as on the fine work FUEMS does.
“You guys, your organization does a phenomenal job,” Rodgers said. “This group [SLC] talks about, each month, the transports that you do.”
One interesting note in the FUEMS budget was the $6,018 set aside for the club’s appreciation dinner last Spring.
“Every year we do have an appreciation dinner for our members because we’re on service 24 hours a day seven days a week and our members are getting nothing in return,” Valenza said when asked about the item. “So this is the one night where we all go out to a really nice dinner. It is also used as a fundraising event.”
Noting the importance of the services provided by FUEMS, the council voted unanimously, albeit with five abstentions, to increase its referendum.
The Student Life Council will next convene on Dec. 3.
Max Prinz is the Sports Editor for the Fordham Ram.
