GILROY
– Gavilan College’s student representatives say more proceeds
from a new vending machine contract approved by Trustees should go
to students in general, rather than to athletes.
GILROY – Gavilan College’s student representatives say more proceeds from a new vending machine contract approved by Trustees should go to students in general, rather than to athletes.
Shortly before board members voted on the proposed distribution of revenue generated by the Pepsi machines, two Associated Student Body officers opposed the split that gives 65 percent of proceeds to the athletics department and 30 percent to ASB.
“The ASB does not believe that the current proposal is equitable, primarily because it is symbolic of placing a higher value on one student group over others,” said Simon Cooke, ASB president.
Of the portion of proceeds that will be paid to athletics, Development Officer Ken Berry will receive a 30 percent commission. The remaining 5 percent of proceeds will go to the college’s general fund.
Just before Cooke spoke to Trustees, President Steve Kinsella reiterated his approval of the proposed distribution, which was approved by the President’s Council in January of 2003.
“There’s been a number of discussions since the January 2003 approval, and I cannot recommend that the distribution be revisited,” he said.
Cooke, along with ASB Vice President of Finance Christina Alonzo, proposed Tuesday night that both athletics and ASB receive 47.5 percent of proceeds, with 5 percent dedicated to the general fund. That system would be more equitable, they said, because ASB distributes funds to all student groups and actively supports athletics.
In a 6-1 vote, Trustees approved the proposal, with James De La Cruz dissenting. Student Trustee Jesse Sandow was also opposed.
“(Alonzo) was right, a lot of the revenue comes from students, so I agree: Make it equitable,” said De La Cruz, referring to Alonzo’s statement that students’ money should stay with ASB to be distributed to multiple groups. “I was actually in favor of giving it all to (ASB), because they trickle it to all the students.”
Cooke also took issue with the commission – 19 percent of total proceeds – received by Berry. The commission is part of Berry’s contract with the college, Kinsella said.
“The original intent of hiring Ken Berry is to have funds to augment the athletic department and having money is necessary, without taking money from the general fund,” Kinsella said in an interview following the meeting.
The previous vending machine contract with Pepsi was structured very differently, said Jan Bernstein Chargin, public information officer.
In the first year of the contract, the athletics department received a donation that equaled about $18,000 from Pepsi, while the ASB received $3,000 for each of the last three years of the contract.
