The Undergraduate Student Government Department of State Affairs no longer wants individual employee salaries included in its quest for an open University budget.

“The University’s salary equity is already under extreme scrutiny on federal, state, local and internal levels,” said Chris Saunders, director of USG-DSA. “The USG’s time would be more effectively spent attempting to get a host of other information that would directly benefit students.”

Without the burden of salaries, the USG-DSA can focus attention on information it believes to be more useful to students, he said. The budget of auxiliary enterprises would be an area that USG-DSA wants to open so that it can track the revenue generated by places such as the Nittany Lion Inn, North Atherton Street and Park Avenue, and the Penn State Bookstore on Campus, he added.

By limiting the budget hunt, many have accused USG President Rob Kampia of “selling out” on state House Bill 1075, an all-encompassing open budget bill that died in state Senate committee hearings.

“Although it might be easier for USG to get an open budget if salaries are taken out of their demands, all this means is that the inequalities will go on untouched,” said Becky Benedum (junior-anthropology).

Kampia said he is only trying to benefit students.

“I don’t want this to seem like we got paid off by the University to do their bidding,” Kampia said. “Everything we are doing is to better the situation of the students. That is the reason why we are not getting mired down on the salary issue.”

Other students believe salary inequities — differences in salary for women and minorities holding equal positions — are the main reason the budget has remained closed as long as it has.

“If there were not inequalities, I am sure the budget would have been opened up by now,” said Belinda Bell (junior-secondary education).

Bill 1075 sponsor state Rep. Ron Cowell, D-Allegheny, said open salaries were never the bill’s main objective, but it is the University’s responsibility to justify keeping such information private.

“I think the burden is on the University officials to demonstrate why a salary of a faculty member, who teaches at the University should be treated differently than the salary of a person who is on the faculty of State College School District,” Cowell said.

USG’s new stance has directed efforts to talking with the administration rather than lobbying in Harrisburg. Instead of waiting for the results of legislation, Saunders has created a list of Financial Accountability Requirements, which he has presented to the University.

The requirements call for the University to put budget information, which is currently available, in an easy-to-read format. USG wants detailed lists broken down within individual colleges, administrative units and Commonwealth Educational Systems.

The requirements also call for the University to provide all internal budgets and actual costs and place them in a format conducive to comparison.

But, teachers’ salaries, research funding from the Department of Defense, research funds from private firms and names of private contributors would all remain private.

Kampia said he believes discussing the requirements with administrators will get better results than lobbying for legislation in Harrisburg and will continue to do so as long as he thinks the talks are productive.

Saunders agreed, saying he believes the requirements are much more detailed and will produce more timely results than waiting for lawmakers.

“With these accountabilities, we can get information right now,” Saunders said. “This is the information that will best help the students, and will best reflect the university’s accountability.”

Cowell said he is planning to reintroduce Bill 1075 in the next session.