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Structural cuts prevent losses

By Sean Greene

March 15, 2010 11:56 p.m.

Despite suffering a $700,000 drop in expected sales, Associated Students UCLA exceeded its net income plan for February by nearly $70,000.

This may be due to the association’s hiring fewer total employees, as well as reducing working hours in accordance with the UC furlough plan, said Bob Williams, ASUCLA executive director. The association is not laying off employees, just not filling vacant positions as employees leave or retire.

This, combined with cutting costs in utilities through various sustainability measures, allows the association to reduce costs drastically.

“The effect of not spending as much as we had planned is starting to benefit us,” said Rich Delia, ASUCLA financial director.

Despite February’s positive results, Williams said the board predicts March and July will prove financially difficult for ASUCLA.

Last year when the budget was written, the board theorized that the economy would start to improve, along with sales.

“Since we wrote the budget, clearly the situation has become much worse, especially at the local level,” according to Williams in an e-mailed statement.

Also since then, the UC’s budget has taken cuts and student fees have increased, which has taken a toll on the association.

“We anticipate that this has led to a more aggressive budget than the current trends,” according to Williams. “Having said that, (what) we are looking for was to stay on our plan.”

Williams said in the Feb. 12 board of directors meeting that the association only makes money four months out of the year, during the start-of-the-quarter rush months of fall, winter and spring.

ASUCLA continues to work on new ways to keep textbook costs down, which includes encouraging faculty to reuse older editions and offering more used textbooks, Williams said.

The store and food service departments will also continue to offer promotions in an attempt to bring sales back to the association.

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