Black Poetry Society received the largest portion of the $11,000 allocated from the New Student Organization Support Fund by the Associated Student Government on Wednesday, taking home $750.
New student organizations that have been on campus for less than two years were eligible to receive funding at the Winter Quarter NSOSF Funding Senate. ASG allocates money from this fund each quarter.
During the first funding senate of the academic year, $10,000 was allocated to new student organizations, with ELEL Dance Team receiving the top allocation of $1,176.03. This quarter, ASG had an additional $1,000 to add to the pool from the ASG Justice and Inclusion Committee, making the total fund $11,000.
During the Funding Senate, organizations are given two minutes to present their funding requests and answer questions from senators in the audience. Senators then deliberate and decide how much funding each group will receive.
The ASG Senate follows a process known as “add, cut, add.” First, senators decide how much money, if any, to allocate to each group. Then, they determine which groups should have their funding reduced, and finally, they add back money if any remains in the pool.
Food for social events and club meetings was one of the most common requests, along with funding for performance costumes, equipment to meet club goals and transportation for events.
Arab Gulf Student Association, a club aimed at fostering cross-cultural dialogue within the Arab Gulf community, received $670 after the first “add” period. McCormick freshman and President of the club Ahmed Alalwani said the funding will “make a huge difference” in supporting a community that he noted often is underrepresented.
“Getting this kind of funding allows us to basically interact within our personal community and draw from our culture in a way that hasn’t been done before,” Alalwani said.
By the end of the first “add” period, $312.61 was left in the funding — the first time, according to Weinberg junior and Speaker of the Senate Grace Houren, that the period ended without a deficit.
NU Music Tasting Club, which is dedicated to exploring and discussing various kinds of music, was the only organization to see a reduction in its original allocation during the “cut” period. Some senators raised concerns about whether the club should receive funding for merchandise.
Ultimately, $75 was cut from its original $200 allocation, leaving NU Music Tasting Club with $125. Weinberg senior Archie Silverstein, president and founder of the club, expressed relief about the outcome.
“I’m a senior, and I just wanted to get my club something before I go,” Silverstein said. “I’m just very grateful that it ended the way it did.”
Of the 30 groups that requested funding, 26 received allocations. Senators voted not to allocate funds to organizations that were not physically present during the funding process.
Unscripted Love, a student group working on a reality TV dating show for NU students, ended with the second-largest allocation of $746.82. This was similar to their Fall Quarter funding experience, where they also received the second-largest allocation of $1,150.
At the end of the almost five hour deliberation, Streetside Health received $665, CaribNation received $600, Queer Media Association received $250, Video Game Music received $60, Plant Futures received $338.69, Black Screens received $400, 180 Degrees Consulting received $405, The Army Praise Dance Ministry received $407.40, CRUSH Magazine received $526.42, Data Science and Analytics Club received $421.67, FutureDev received $256, Prairie Cats Ecological Restoration Club received $303, Consult Your Community received $300, Red Dot NU received $425, Locket Cybersecurity received $500, Reflections Repertory Company received $650, NU Club Gymnastics received $400, Greek American Legacy Association received $450, StageStrat received $400, Girl Gains received $350, ProjectProd received $200 and Cartography Club received $400.
Communication sophomore and StageStrat President Diane Li said her club plans to use funding to invite a keynote speaker to one of their meetings. The speaker will provide advice and share their professional journey, and StageStrat also plans to host joint networking events with other business clubs on campus.
Li added that StageStrat’s goal is to provide barrier-free opportunities for NU students to learn about the business and entertainment industries. She hopes the funding will enable them to offer more programs that will attract students to their events.
In addition to the funding process, a resolution was presented calling on ASG to support campus food service workers. Dining workers voted on Feb. 27 to authorize a strike.
The resolution argues that Compass has a history of mistreating workers and urges the University to pressure Compass to sign a “fair contract,” one that includes improved wages, retirement benefits and job protections.
The resolution was voted on as emergency legislation, making it eligible to be introduced and voted on in the same meeting. The Senate voted in favor of it.
Reflecting on the Funding Senate, Houren said she was pleased with how the senators handled large funding requests and their improvements from previous meetings.
“Senators were really good about being cautious with funding throughout,” Houren said. “I’m always, every quarter, more impressed by how prepared senators come.”
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Related Stories:
— ASG Senate allocates $10,000 in funding to new student organizations, swears in new co-president
— The Daily Explains: How student groups receive funding from NU
— New student organizations outline funding plans, reflect on NSOSF Funding Senate
