Student groups unhappy with the Student Activities Finance Board’s recommendations for next year are planning to argue their cases at tonight’s Senate meeting, where they will have an opportunity to appeal directly to the Senate for increased funding.
Although 40 student groups requested about $1.4 million from SAFB, only $660,133 was doled out in recommendations. Although 11 groups received within $1,000 of the amount they requested, five groups only received enough funding to cover their phone bills.
The five groups, which include Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Alliance, Arts Alliance and Niteskool Productions, will appeal for more funding tonight from an additional Senate pool of $86,000.
Associated Student Government Financial Vice President Carson Kuo said SAFB considered “the merit of groups” during the funding process.
“The two biggest factors are how groups managed their finances in the past and how their events went this year,” said Kuo, an Education junior. “We don’t look at specific event proposals as much as the group’s merit.”
But members of groups such as Alternative Spring Break, which received about $16,000 less than it requested, said decisions should not be based solely on attendance at events.
Kathy Chan, ASB’s co-director, said her group’s members have gone “above and beyond” many of the goals they have set, and tonight they plan to appeal the recommended $942 that would insufficiently fund winter and spring trips.
“It’s frustrating to see our group left in the dust year after year,” said Chan, a Weinberg senior. “We are hoping to convince Senate to give us more money by showing them the worthiness of what ASB does.”
Constance Nelson, co-president of BGALA, said it hurts cultural organizations to be judged by the same funding criteria as groups like A&O Productions, which appeals to the entire campus.
“When we do our programming, we have a specific community in mind,” said Nelson, a Speech freshman. “I’m frustrated as a programmer because BGALA has made an effort to be a presence on campus by creating awareness, not by attracting the largest numbers.”
But another cultural group, the Muslim-cultural Students Association, received a recommendation of $26,243 from SAFB, only $600 less than it requested. The Thai Club was allocated $2,098 in funds, about $35 more than it petitioned for.
Jawad Hussain, president of McSA, said his group benefited from good programming and sound finances during the past year.
“You really can’t get more funding than what we received, so we are very pleased with SAFB’s recommendation,” said Hussain, a Weinberg senior. “We were confident going in because we knew SAFB had taken notice of the good job we did this year.”
The Intramural Quiz Bowl also was allotted its entire request of $2,400 for the second straight year. President Tyler Johnson said his group has been successful in negotiations with SAFB by only asking for the exact money it needs.
“We are a small group, so we don’t ask for much money,” said Johnson, a Weinberg senior. “We do what we say we will do with the money, and that is why we have gotten 100 percent of what we ask for the past few years. When we submit a proposal, we expect it will be treated fairly.”
While not all groups can receive funding for events with SAFB’s limited pool, Kuo said a possible solution to the funding logjam would be to increase the student activities fee. Students now pay $33 per quarter, but Kuo said he hopes to raise the fee to $40 next year.
“I’m unhappy that we have to cut group programming, especially when good ideas aren’t getting funded,” he said. “If the student activities fee is increased, the pool of money to work with would be greater, and less events would be cut.”
SAFB will evaluate the events this year before recommending funds for many groups’ programs set for next Spring Quarter, Kuo said.
