Student Council cut their 1999 summer budget from last year's $23,077.24 to $13,188.42, a difference of $9,888.82, or 42.9 percent.
The summer budget includes all expenditures from June until September.
"We are basically cutting down on the frivolous and wasteful spending habits of the recent administration," Chief Financial Officer John Finley said.
H. Sam Miller, assistant to the vice president for student affairs, said Student Council usually does not cut their budget in the summer.
The summer budget includes "the things they have to have to be ready for the school year," Miller said.
He said the summer budget is part of the regular school year budget, which is not approved until students return from vacation.
The regular budget should be approved "on or around October 1," Finley said.
He said differences in expenditures included such things as the annual Student Council retreat as well as a summer mailout to incoming and transfer students.
The 1998 summer budget shows the expected cost of the September retreat at about $15,000, he added.
The 1998 budget further shows the fundable retreat expenditures at $6,811.24 and non-fundable expenditures at $7,243.80.
The Student Activities Fee provides for fundable expenditures, while non-fundable expenditures are paid through other means, such as fundraisers, Finley said.
He said he eliminated holding the retreat at a hotel like past administrations have done and instead planned it at Alumni Hall in order to save money.
Student Council members must also contribute $10 towards the cost of their dinner, an estimated total of $640, the budget states.
The fall retreat now will cost Student Council $1,927.31.
Another money-saver in the 1999 budget is the cut of a summer mailout to incoming and transfer students.
Since incoming students are now attending summer orientation, a brochure about Student Council will be given to them at that time, Finley said.
The cut of the mailout equals $2,238.54, according to the budget.
"My goal for the year is to cut both [budgets] about 40 percent," Finley said, referring to both the summer and regular school year budgets.
Another cost cut totaling $4,768.82 was the new office furniture purchased last summer by the former administration, headed by Howard A. Foard III.
The Student Activities Committee approves the summer budget, since all members of Student Council are not present in Charlottesville.
"Student Council must hold itself to the same level of fiscal responsibility that it demands of other student organizations-that is what we are trying to accomplish," Finley said.
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