The Student Government Association (SGA) unanimously approved a little over $6,500 in club funding for the second round of fall funding during their weekly legislative body meeting.
SGA is responsible for designating funding for student organizations’ day-to-day operations. Initial club budget proposals totalled closer to $10,000, Sam Fehl, SGA’s treasurer, said. Most were not changed and saw full approval, but a few had adjustments.
“Basically, we approved everything that we could approve,” Fehl said. “We didn’t have to make any cuts due to budgetary concerns. Anything we didn’t approve was based on the rules of what we can approve.”
The Ballroom Club saw about $500 cut from its proposal, which was said to be used to pay its faculty advisor. Payments to faculty by a student club are not allowed under SGA’s club budget rules.
Ballroom Club still saw about $1,500 in funding approved, giving it the largest budget of all student organizations this funding cycle.
Future Educators of American (FEA) also saw a cut. Its initial, roughly $100 proposal was reduced to about $57. Fehl said the $43 that was cut would’ve been used for gifts, which are not permitted under SGA’s funding rules.
“SGA funding is not allowed to buy things that are going to be given out immediately,” Fehl said.
The Honors Student Organization (HSO) had its initial $294 proposal cut to $65. Roughly $200 of that was to cover blanket-making kits.
The proposal outlined that the finished blankets would be donated; but because SGA’s budget rules say club funding is not permitted to be used on donations, that blanket fund was cut.
The only other cuts were to two clubs — Student Human Resource Association (SHRA) and Tech Theatre Club — who requested funds to have branded t-shirts made for their respective organizations.
Club-branded t-shirts are not permitted to be funded by SGA, according to their budget rules.
Because of that, SHRA’s requested budget was reduced from $763.99 to $13.99. Tech Theatre’s was reduced from $2,251 to $605.
SGA also approved two constitutions, which were discussed but not voted on last week because the legislative body had too many senators absent to enter quorum.
The Student Alliance for Vitalizing Earth had their constitution approved by 8 votes, with 1 abstention. CuerpoBeat also had their constitution unanimously approved.
The next SGA meeting will be on Monday, Oct. 20 at 3:15 p.m. in the Student Center basement.
