By Shawn Bolan
Only $38 remained in MacGregor House's bank account to cover dorm maintenance and social expenses when HouseComm reconvened after this year's IAP break.
However, the balance has since been raised to approximately $6000, and treasurer Miha Singh '95 of D-Entry, has admitted that the worst is over.
Part of the immediate cause contributing to the deficit were the expenses incurred by Winter Weekend last February.  In order to provide the traditional two nights of live bands, snacks, and beverages, HouseComm officers decided to allocate about $8000 to the festivities. It was a reasonable expenditure that was "not out of proportion with what has been spent before," said '92 treasurer, Becky Foster '93 of D-Entry.  
The problem might have been that HouseComm members were not aware "of the fact that we were running so low on money," said Singh.  "Since we've had so much money for so long, it just seemed obvious we'd have enough.  I don't think we realized how much money we'd be eating out of spring term's housing tax." 
In the 1980's, house tax money had accumulated in the bank as a result of fewer expenditures on house improvements and social events.  Realizing that residents were not getting their money's worth, house officers recently began utilizing each term's funds to a greater extent, according to Foster.
However, larger purchases, such as last year's weight room and the TFL's grand piano, have depleted excess funds.  Furthermore, a significant loss of income, an estimated $2000, occurred with the removal of the pinball and video game machines last year.
Although the unstable financial situation affected the number of
house-wide social activities, limiting Friday Club Macs to two for example, the state of the house's finances has stabilized.  Profits made by the soda, copier, and washer/drier machines assisted in remedying the shortage of funds, according to Singh.  For instance, the house received a greater return on the wash machines this year since the price per load was raised from fifty to seventy-five cents.  HouseComm was also reimbursed from MacGregor alumni contributions for $3000 that went towards constructing the weight room. 
Further income may be forthcoming from outside sources.  In a memo released Wednesday, Carl Seagren, General Manager of the Department of Housing and Food Services, wrote that the house will receive a payment of $1392 within a week.  
To ward against potential financial pitfalls in the future, Singh has urged HouseComm members to retain receipts from expenditures and to turn them in promptly for house reimbursement.  By keeping bookkeeping better up-to-date, Singh intends to now offer a more accurate picture of where the house budget stands.  In this way, future budgetary setbacks might be avoided.