Taking a break from the election cycle, Associated Student Government senators got their first look Wednesday at their other major undertaking of the quarter — the Student Activities Finance Board’s spring funding recommendations.
Erica Williamson, ASG financial vice president, said money was “incredibly tight” this year as she unveiled the recommendations, which student groups can appeal next week. SAFB recommended distributing $869,024 to student groups, compared with last year’s initial recommendation of $809,162.
Groups demanded a record-breaking $1.8 million this year, up 23 percent from last year. Because of that increase, many groups might be “shocked” when they learn of their lower-than-expected recommendations, she said.
“Groups did phenomenally in the past year and had phenomenal events to fund,” said Williamson, a McCormick junior. “The only hindrance was money.”
A Senate amendment pool to fund appeals from student groups totals more than $47,500. All of the money allocated during spring funding comes from the Student Activities Fee, currently $120, which all undergraduate students are asked to pay as part of school expenses. Only A-status student groups are eligible to receive funding from SAFB.
Williamson said allocating funding was difficult because the Student Activities Fee “did not increase in line with groups’ performances.” The activities fee was raised from $99 by Northwestern’s Board of Trustees during last year’s funding cycle, which helped satisfy more groups’ requests during the funding process.
When looking at funding requests, SAFB considers past programming, history of financial misconduct and group stability, among other criteria. Committee members focused mainly on past events, Williamson said.
“We wanted to make student funding go as far as possible, so we put programming on a pedestal,” she said.
A&O Productions received nearly $250,000, the largest recommended allocation. The group requested more than $466,000 and was not funded for its A&O Smackdown event, or a concert or speaker during Winter Quarter.
Incoming A&O Chairwoman Natasha Little said she recognizes the limitations of the funding process but said A&O still plans to appeal because of its strong year.
“We are happy with what we got, but we will be asking for more,” said Little, a Communication junior. “We had a great year and we want to be able to do exactly what we did this year, next year — if not better.”
Art Alliance only received a fraction of its request, but co-Chairman Joel Richlin said he isn’t worried. Although the group asked for about $26,000 and SAFB suggested only $243, Richlin said the group is “not in any jeopardy.”
“There are a lot of groups who rely on the (activities fee) for the majority of their programming, but having an SAF-sponsored program for us is an anomaly,” Richlin said.
Richlin, a Weinberg senior, said Arts Alliance leaders are unsure if they will appeal.
Student-group leaders who want to appeal for part of the funding in the amendment pool should contact Williamson and Speaker of the Senate Kawika Pierson by Tuesday afternoon.
In other business at Wednesday’s meeting, Bryan Tolles was sworn in as executive vice president after he won Tuesday night’s ASG election.
Senators passed five bills, one as old business from last week and four more as emergency legislation. Senators also heard a new bill calling for a resource center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
The bills that passed call for:
a CAESAR training session to teach incoming freshman how to register;
voter registration for students with a kiosk in Norris University Center and links on HereAndNow to voter information Web sites;
a map of handicap-accessible buildings on campus;
information about housing options over Spring Break; and
professors to provide ISBNs of required books so students can buy texts independent of Norris Bookstore, as well as posting final schedules with course descriptions.
