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COGS discusses Impact 89FM finances

November 14, 2012
	<p>East Lansing resident and Impact 89FM Music Director Jesse Wiza, left, and Lansing resident and music writer at the City Pulse, Rich Tupica, joke on air during &#8220;Sit Or Spin&#8221; on July 23, 2012. State News File Photo</p>

East Lansing resident and Impact 89FM Music Director Jesse Wiza, left, and Lansing resident and music writer at the City Pulse, Rich Tupica, joke on air during “Sit Or Spin” on July 23, 2012. State News File Photo

Photo by State News file photo | The State News

After issues with the radio station’s financial reporting and lack of communication, Impact 89FM radio station manager Aaron Young said the station is trying to improve relations with the Council of Graduate Students, or COGS, and MSU’s undergraduate student government, ASMSU.

COGS is taking another look at student tax-funded Impact 89FM radio’s financial records after concern arose with the station’s financial reporting.

Young was present at the COGS Full Council meeting on Wednesday when general manager Ed Glazer presented Impact 89FM radio’s financial records to the group.

“It’s (students’) money,” Young said. “They deserve to know.”

Currently, the station is not receiving any of the collected $3 taxes on each student because they have not yet received the approval from organizations such as COGS, Glazer said. After the December COGS’s meeting, and ASMSU’s approval, the group should be able to receive the student tax dollars, he said.

Glazer briefed the council on some issues with the station and spoke of the awards the station has earned, as well as their programs in preparation for COGS to vote on the organization receiving student taxes in December.

Glazer gave reasons for the station’s financial oversight board not meeting since 2009, to his knowledge, and provided several documents on the group’s financial records.

He said the board was missing a member who has recently been replaced. He also said there were issues with the 2011 financial report that appeared, to him, to have only been collected internally, which typically is not done.

He said he is somewhat catching up on things with the station, as he has only been in the position of general manager for less than a month.

COGS President Stefan Fletcher expressed frustration with the situation during the meeting, citing former station general manager Gary Reid’s absence as well as the station’s large reserve of funds built up over the years that they are using in absence of student tax dollars.

He said that groups such as COGS don’t have a backup if they do not receive student tax dollars and that he doesn’t know of any other groups that do this.

“Gary was responsible for this radio station,” Fletcher said. “Gary should be here answering questions.”

Recording secretary Jennifer Wray said COGS’ interest in thorough review of the station’s financial records was due to finding discrepancies in past reports.

She said COGS is trying to make sure MSU students’ tax money is being well spent and students see the use of their money during their time here. She said COGS has no problem with the radio station and is simply trying to gain clarification because due to the approval of ASMSU and COGS, the station receives student tax money.

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