Due to a Banner system error, the Student Government Association overspent its 2007-2008 budget by $243,000.
As a result, there will be no fall concert this year, according to Dr. Sally Lee, associate vice president for Student Affairs.
SGA did a poll in the spring to determine what musical artist students would want for the fall, Lee said, but plans for the concert were cancelled after the SGA found out about its budget issues.
The money left in the accounts is enough to cover Homecoming for the fall and a concert in the spring.
“We have $111,000 to allocate to student organizations, sponsoring events on the ETSU campus this fall and spring,” Lee said. “It’s not much less than the normal amount.”
Lee said she doesn’t think students will be upset, because the money in question was spent on a student event – the spring 2008 Carrie Underwood concert.
It is estimated that the March 28 concert, which included three costume changes and a one-time-use stage, cost more than $500,000.
“We know Carrie Underwood was a big deal,” Lee said. “We had more than twice the turn-out than we usually do.
An A-list performer such as Carrie Underwood was considered a special event, Lee said, and ETSU students should not expect to see such a popular entertainer every semester.
The deficit stems from overspending in two accounts that are commonly referred to as the “B.U.C. Fund.” One account, which is used to fund concerts and homecoming, was overspent by more than $228,000.
“The emphasis in that account has always been on campus events open to all students, and the committee has always favored those events that are going to attract a large cross-section of students,” Lee said.
The other account, used to cover funding for student organizations, was overspent by more than $15,000.
But, Lee said, SGA is not in debt. The money that SGA receives every year in the form of a tuition fee has already replenished the budget.
“The error occurred in conjunction with our change to our new computer system,” said Lee, referring to the 2007 switch to the Banner system. “Last year we spent more than was in the account, but effective now, we have the money we generate for the 2008 to 2009 year.”
The set up of the accounts has been changed from a revolving account to a set-budget account. In previous years, all of the money in the account went up and down as student funding varied. Funding can vary based on the number of students who withdraw each semester and are paid back their tuition money. Because this amount was constantly in flux, it made it very difficult to keep track of how much money was in the account at all times, Lee said.
Starting this summer, the accounts were changed so that there is a fixed amount from the beginning of the semester.
“That will allow us to operate the account like a checkbook,” Lee said.
At the end of the semester, if there is money left over in the account, it is added to the budget for the following semester. As for the spring concert, Lee said that SGA should be doing another poll soon, to determine which musician students want to perform.

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