I’ve got my mind on your money and your money on my mind. I made that Snoop Dogg-inspired promise last year when I was inaugurated as vice president of financial affairs for the Student Government Association. For the past two months, every Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (or later), the finance committee has worked tirelessly to fairly and equitably distribute the student activities fee to student groups. Your money has been on our minds more than you can imagine.
We received $2,466,926.01 in requests from 238 student groups for more than 1,000 programs for the next fiscal year. The student activities fee for next year is $1,671,380. A percentage of that money is given to Student Entertainment Events to host and co-sponsor about 80 programs a year, ranging from B.o.B. to Reza the Illusionist. A percentage goes to fund the 46 Campus Recreation Services sports clubs. Another percentage goes to the Student Organization Resource Center. A percentage is then given to the SGA for its constitutionally mandated programs.
Finally, a percentage goes to fund the Undergraduate Student Legal Aid Office, a program that grants every undergraduate student access to a lawyer and representation by this university.
The remainder totals $451,269. That’s not a significant number when so many groups are vying for funding. Therefore, we were forced to make difficult decisions. Our goal is not to take away funding from student groups, but to give. However, we are shackled in the process, with student groups asking for five times the amount available. As a result, the average mandatory budget cut was 31 percent – with budget cuts extending to 74 percent.
I’d like to believe these budget cuts were, on average, smaller than last year because groups recognized the amount they request affects their peer student organizations, but hey, I’m an optimist. In reality, people requested less and co-sponsored more.
Needless to say, student groupss funding was cut, and that is never a positive outcome. As I stated earlier in the year, money will be a crucial issue that the SGA will tackle in the years to come. But we will work through these together with your help and active involvement in the reform processes.
Famous American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Money often costs too much.” These processes will take time and patience as well as student input, but I urge you to put in the cost – because the promise of the greater reward, of affordable tuition and textbooks and more money for your student activities, is foreseeable.
The Commission on Financial Reform was charged with rethinking the finance allocation process at this university, and it has excelled. Its proposal will be presented next week by Assistant Vice President of Finance Gursean Singh, and student input will be essential. Next year will be dedicated to preparing the new system and perfecting the process so every student is proud of the SGA funding process.
My only regret this year is we did not have enough money to fully fund the budgets of all student groups. I encourage everyone to reach out to me, nitpick the decisions the finance committee has made and question me, as an elected executive of the SGA, as to my methods.
I am sure this will not hinder the excellent programming student groups have exhibited in the past and will continue to exhibit in the future. While the future of our funding process is uncertain, we can be sure student groups will continue to overcome the hurdles placed before them by working together. My term ends in three weeks, but I promise your money will always be on the SGA’s mind.
David Berlin is vice president of financial affairs for the Student Government Association. He can be reached at umdvpfinance@gmail.com.
