Budget cuts, budget cuts, and more budget cuts have taken over the Student Government Association as they look towards the future of the students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

An emergency meeting was called by the SGA on Dec.10 in an effort to discuss the future of UMass in direct correlation to the $495 tuition and fees increase that students will face this spring semester.

“We held an emergency meeting from 10p.m.until 2a.m. and we came up with a list of priorities of what could and could not be cut by the administration,” Speaker Aaron Saunders said. “We then met on Dec.11 with Chancellor Marcie Williams and the Board of Trustees who held a fifteen minute meeting and told us that a $495 fee increase would be in effect next semester.”

Members of the executive cabinet as well as members of the Senate further discussed what the University could cut in relation to the budget, as well as what can not be touched by the administration as a result of the recent budget.

Members of the SGA broke down their lists of what not to be touched by the administration into three major areas of the University: Student Affairs, Administration and Finance and Academic Affairs

Within Student Affairs the SGA pointed out that their top priority was financial aid and that its service should not be touched especially due to the $495 fee increase being placed on student fees for next semester.

“Our priority has to ensure that students will have financial aid and that it will be available to them,” Saunders said. “The University can’t afford to lose any students as a result of these fee increases.”

Other areas touched upon under Student Affairs was the escort service, diversity outreach programs, the Dean of Students emergency loan program, child care, the Leadership Conference for new students and the Student Activities Trust Fund.

“Because of the budget, five employees of the Presidents office will be cut as well as 160 faculty members of the University,” Saunders said. “I didn’t think it [budget cuts] would be this big. Granted the administration appreciates this $495 fee increase, they don’t understand it from a students perspective and it’s not fair to ask for money and create this kind of confusion for people.”

Other areas the SGA is looking to preserve in light of the budget cuts are the physical plant services and campus services. Saunders explained that the University must ensure that maintenance and transportation for students does not change student’s ways of life.

“Our buildings are in rough shape as it is and we need to make sure that they remain standing,” Saunders said. “It’s also important to keep things such as the PVTA running so that students who rely on the bus system for school and work will always have access to it.”

Class sizes, general education course offerings and academics versus athletics were also stressed by members of the SGA. Aside from what the SGA felt should stay untouched within the University, SGA members also stressed to the administration what they felt could be subject to budget cuts.

“We have 48 police officers working on this campus in the middle of July, that is completely unnecessary,” Saunders said. “If we could have contracts for just the fall through spring we could save a ton of money. We also discussed earlier athletic verse academic funding, and although we need to continue to support our varsity athletes, we need to support academics even more.”

Members of the SGA further expressed the need for communication and compromise between the SGA and administration when dealing with the budget cuts toll on the University.

“We made a commitment to the administration that we were going to communicate with one another and work together,” Saunders said. “We can’t control when the legislature passes their budget, but it’s our job to let students know that were not taking this lightly.”

As members of the Senate convene tonight for their last meeting of the semester Paul Page, Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance will be attending the meeting to speak to the Senate about the budget cuts and what is in store for the University.

After last weeks Senate meeting and their approval of the controversial flag motion, the American flag and State of Massachusetts flag will be flying high tonight.

The Senate will be addressing the split of the Public Policy and Relation committee into two separate groups, therefore making a Public Policy committee and Public Relations committee.

Senators will also be looking at a motion proposing that Campus Activities use pro-cards as a method of purchase orders due to their ability to be more cost and time effective.

“Last weeks meeting was the best meeting we’ve had all semester,” Saunders said. “Tonight is the last meeting of the semester and were looking to deal with a lot of stuff and wrap up the end of the year.”

Tonight’s Senate meeting will be held at 7:15p.m. in room 168 of the Campus Center.