ALC Budget

After first refusing to release their respective $80,000 and $30,000 budgets, both the AHANA the GLBTQ Leadership Councils (GLC) released their budgets to The Observer. As semi-autonomous organizations within the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC), both the ALC and GLC receive their funding from the UGBC.

The Observer sought line-item budgets from the UGBC, GLC, and the ALC last month. Upon requesting the budgets, UGBC President Al Dea provided a copy of the UGBC budget. However, GLC President Kelsey Gasseling and ALC President Erika Hernandez both declined to release their respective organizations’ budgets.

“Unfortunately, it will not be possible for you to receive budget information from the GLC,” Gasseling told Observer reporters at the time.

Hernandez said, “In regards to the line-budget request, after speaking with UGBC, GLC, and our advisors, we have been told and agreed not to do this. I am sorry we cannot help you further.” When asked who advised her to withhold the budget, Hernandez refused to disclose the advisors’ identities.

The Observer successfully obtained the budget after meetings with Dr. Patrick Rombalski, vice president for student affairs, and Dr. Mark Miceli, an assistant dean in the student programs office and advisor to the GLC.

GLC Budget

Gasseling emailed a copy of the budget to The Observer after these meetings took place. Hernandez complied with The Observer’s request and sent a copy of the ALC budget as well.

However, Hernandez and Gasseling also released their budgets to The Heights. Hernandez justified this action by telling The Heights that “students have a right to know where their money is going.”

The ALC budget covers $80,000. While $46,400, 58% of the budget, covers the boat cruise and ball, the ALC also spends a combined $10,200 on two retreats, one for the AHANA Leadership Academy and another for the AHAHA Caucus. Other areas of expenditure include $4,000 on a faculty appreciation banquet, and $9,790 in executive discretionary spending.

The 2009-2010 GLC budget covers eight separate areas of expenditure. Two-thirds of the budget, or $20,000, goes toward the annual GLC Gala. In addition, the GLC spends $3,000 on the “Support Love Campaign,” $2,500 on both “National Coming Out Week” and the “Alumni Reunion/Senior Send-Off.”

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