The Associated Students of DVC has tapped the Student Union building’s reserve fund to pay for salaries, office supplies and the College Success workshops. 

Bookstore profits used to cover these expenses, but with it operating at a loss, the ASDVC looked for alternative sources of funding, said Bill Oye, dean of student life. 

The state Education Code (section 76375) permits using a portion of the Student Union building fee for operating costs, Oye said. 

Students voted years ago to use a small portion of the Student Union building fee to pay for necessary equipment, but “we are going to need to use more money from the building fee to take care of additional necessary operating expenses,” Oye said.

Excess funds beyond what is needed to pay the building’s mortgage are kept in reserve, he said.

That fund will now pay a portion of Student Life manager Adriana Lopez’s salary, the salaries of student workers, the College Success Workshops offered each semester and supplies for the student life office.

“If we can’t use the student union building fee fund, we would be unable to fund any student workers,” Oye said. 

The budget had been on the ASDVC agenda for three weeks before it was unanimously and swiftly approved by the board Nov. 10.

“Without the fund, we would have to shut down student life at DVC,” said Ben Pradaya, vice president of executive affairs.

But ASDVC adviser Lopez said the future of the Student Union building will continue to depend on the bookstore’s profits.

“If the bookstore doesn’t generate profits, we’ll have to do something similar and probably cut student staff,” Lopez said. “But this is a tough time, so that will be a last resort.”