Student Association : Bill to change University Union funding process to be voted on Monday
Student Association assembly members will vote Monday on a bill to change the funding process for University Union.
The bill would require UU to apply for funding annually rather than each semester. It would also make UU the Official Programming of Syracuse University. The bill must pass a vote by a majority at Monday’s meeting. SA meetings are open to the public, and any student may speak during the meetings.
SA divvies up the funds from the student activity fee to student organizations each semester for operating costs and programming. The current fee is $185 per student, totaling $2,541,160 for SA to split among campus organizations. UU receives the most money for programming each semester.
Since 2006, UU has received between 25 to 35 percent of the student activity fee for its programming. The student activity fee is split into three categories: operational budgets, spring programming and fall programming. After taking out operational budgets, UU has received up to 49 percent of the fee, UU President Andrew Beyda said.
The goal of the new bill is to decrease the amount of funding UU requests from SA, Beyda said. UU would apply for funding at the end of the spring semester for the following year under the new bill. This would allow UU to book concerts and events earlier, ultimately lowering the cost of the events, Beyda said. The earlier events are booked, the less they typically cost.
‘The big goal of this is to draw down on the amount of money UU requires from the student activity fee,’ he said.
Making UU the university’s Official Programming would make UU the destination for all large-scale programming inquiries, Beyda said. Currently, the Office of Student Activities receives calls and requests for programming and does not have anywhere to direct them without an Official Programming organization, he said.
This would not affect other student organizations’ abilities to bring speakers, concerts and other programs to campus, Beyda said. All student organizations would still be able to apply for programming funds through SA’s semester budget process.
Changes to UU’s funding have been in the works for at least the past 10 years, SA President Jon Barnhart said. Beyda, Barnhart, members of Barnhart’s cabinet and the Office of Student Activities discussed and decided upon the bill’s provisions.
‘It’s good to finally see something on paper,’ Barnhart said.
Although UU would be applying for an entire year’s worth of funding in the spring, it would not take money away from other organizations during that funding cycle. SA would allocate the funds to each category to make sure the amount available for other student organizations remains proportional, Barnhart said.
Neal Casey, the only candidate running for SA president, authored the bill. SA’s administrative operations committee and the Finance Board approved the bill recently. If passed by the assembly Monday, the bill will take effect in the spring, Beyda said.
Published on October 31, 2010 at 12:00 pm
