Six student groups must put their events on hold until they raise 3 percent of programming funds granted by the Student Activities Finance Board in the spring.
SAFB gives A-status groups money for specific events every spring. But groups must have 3 percent of their allocated funds in their Student Organization Finance Office accounts before they can spend the money from SAFB.
African-American Theatre Ensemble, Alianza, Chinese Students Association, College Republicans, For Members Only and Northwestern Community Ensemble have not reached their 3 percent requirement, said Carson Kuo, financial vice president of Associated Student Government.
Kuo said the groups’ events could suffer even if they raise the money by their event dates.
“Going on precedent and what’s happened in the past, groups have always made their 3 percent and their programming always goes on,” said Kuo, an Education senior. “When you do (eventually) make that 3 percent, you have a shorter amount of time to put things together, which I think affects the quality of programming.
“I’m not saying it’s going to happen. I’m just saying it’s possible.”
AATE treasurer Kristian Aloma said he thought his group had the required 3 percent but could use money from an upcoming fund-raiser to fill the account. AATE’s Cafe Noir coffeehouse and fall musical “The Wiz” will go on as planned, he said. SAFB gave AATE $2,280 for “The Wiz” and $495 for the coffeehouse.
“We are a group that pulls together and finds other ways to do things,” said Aloma, a Speech junior.
CSA, whose account is missing $312.22, will bring speaker Ben Fong-Torres to campus at the end of October. Treasurer Jeff Lin said the group would have no problem getting the money.
Lin said ASG should consider reducing or eliminating the 3 percent requirement because smaller groups might have trouble raising the money.
“It’s not always easy to be able to have all that fund-raised, especially during spring when everyone’s wanting to go out, and when everyone’s new and still getting situated to the whole idea of working on the board,” said Lin, a Weinberg sophomore.
But Mike Blake, FMO treasurer and a member of ASG’s executive committee, said the 3 percent rule keeps student groups responsible.
“You can’t give someone money if they’re not going to be financially responsible and not manage their funds properly,” said Blake, a Medill sophomore.
FMO is missing $394.31. Blake said the group plans to sell FMO student handbooks to upperclassmen this week to pay off the debt. SAFB gave the group $13,977 for its fall speaker, Angela Davis.
“Everything’s going to be fine,” Blake said. “There’s no worries in the FMO camp here.”
NCE needs $275 for its November concert. SAFB gave the group $2,280.
De’Sha Wolf, the group’s treasurer, said she did not know if the group would have the funds in time for the concert. NCE has no plans to raise the money.
The group would either fund raise or solicit alumni donations to pay for the concert if they cannot get the 3 percent filled by November.
“If we don’t get the money, we would just have to deal with it,” said Wolf, a Weinberg sophomore.
College Republicans is lacking $601.57 from its account. Russell Riggins, the group’s treasurer, said they would fill the account by the time they bring Pat Buchanan to campus in October.
Alianza still needs $1,073.63. Edith Rivera, Alianza’s treasurer, was unavailable for comment Monday.
