Student groups are the heart and soul of collaborative involvement at this university. They facilitate diversity, opportunity and culture both on and off the campus. There is nothing we want more than to see student groups improve and expand upon their current successes.
While student groups may feel short on money, we want them to know the Student Government Association is here to help. Despite our own difficult fiscal times, the SGA is dedicated to serving as a resource. This is why the Group Help fund was created — as an emergency funding option for student groups, allowing them to apply for $500 per semester on a first-come, first-served basis.
Additionally, we know that co-sponsorship is a mutually beneficial way to enhance your student group programs. Not only will your event market to a larger and more diverse group of people, but it also has the inherent monetary benefits of cost-splitting. In an effort to help student group funding and encourage the interaction of different groups, we have created co-sponsorship grants. Groups that work together on a program can apply for $250 per group for their event. This means if four groups are co-sponsoring together, they can acquire a total of $1,000 extra for their program. These grants join a number of other co-sponsorship opportunities that already exist, such as the Pepsi Funds, Hoff Funding Board and the SEE Review Board.
We would like to invite you to take advantage not only of our programs, but also of other funding opportunities. It is no secret the current funding system has left groups under-financed, meaning the SGA can no longer be the sole source of funding. And while the current Financial Reform Commission works to create a more efficient allocations process, we are working hard to help you find creative funding right now. In fact, in the coming weeks, the SGA Student Group Affairs Committee, along with the SGA Finance Committee, will be visiting student group meetings to present creative fundraising ideas.
Aside from helping with already involved students, we are also here to serve those of you who have yet to get involved in student groups. If you have not yet found your niche here at the university, we would love to direct you to at least one of the many student groups available. If none of the existing groups quite fit the experience you are looking for, we are also here to help you form your own. Your university experience is what you make of it, so please let us help you when it comes to finding your personal involvement route.
For those of you who want to join us in creating opportunities for student groups, we invite you to join our Student Group Affairs Committee. As is the case with other SGA committees, it is open to any student who wants to actively participate in our work. We meet every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the SGA office (Room 0209J in the Student Involvement Suite of Stamp Student Union).
Don’t be afraid to approach us and take advantage of our services as resources, helpers and advisers. We ask that you reach out to us when you need help or advice in any way, invite us to your group’s meetings so we can better serve you and voice your opinion during SGA meetings. After all, your groups’ activities make the campus community such a great place to be involved.
Traci Siegel and Jimmy Gray are co-directors of student groups in the Student Government Association. They can be reached, respectively at siegel.traci@gmail.com or jamesdonaldgray@gmail.com.
