SGA reviews student organization budgets
The Student Government Association is one step closer to allocating $186,131.50 to nearly 50 University of South Dakota funding-eligible student organizations for fiscal year 2014 – 2015.
Senators heard the first readings of 46 budget allocation bills pertaining to small organizations, large organizations and club sports April 15.
STUDENT ORGANIZATION BUDGET BILLS
In order for the allocations to be approved, a second reading will take place April 22. Each bill will then be voted on for approval. Any amendments to the bills will also be made at this time.
SGA business manager Katie Staley, who oversaw the entire allocation process, said the allocations committee tried their best to allocate funds fairly among each student organization.
“It just depends on how reasonable the request is,” she said.
In each budget request, the student organization was to make a list of line items explaining how the allocated funds would be spent. Staley said this helps the committee better discern the necessity of funds being allocated to each organization.
The amount of student interaction each student organization has with the student body is also one of the top factors the committee considers.
Prior to being presented to SGA for their first readings, the budget allocation bills underwent the first of two hearings April 11. The six-hour hearing entailed the committee meeting with the student organizations to discuss their budget proposals.
During the hearing, student organizations also presented brief reports about the happenings of their group.
“A lot of student organizations were very realistic in their proposals,” Staley said. “Doing the hearing in one day was very beneficial.”
The allocations committee consisted of a seven-member volunteer panel made up of SGA senators. The second allocations hearing will occur today, where the committee will meet with organizations who would like to talk more about the allocations process.
SGA President Tyler Tordsen is a non-voting member on the allocations committee. He said this year’s budgeting process went smoothly compared to years past.
“It was a very catered process to each organization,” he said. “(The committee) did the best they could to go through every single line item.”
As the new SGA Senate enters its sixth week in session, the Student Affairs committee is reviewing every student organization’s constitution and its bylaws to make sure they are current and accurate.
Senator Brent Olinger, head of the Student Affairs committee, said they are reviewing each constitution carefully and plan to meet with any organization that needs to update their documents.
“We don’t want to penalize them, so we want to work with them by the end of the year (to get everything updated),” Olinger said.
This year’s fiscal year 2014-2015 General Activity Fund, which is the source for all student organization funding, is being restored to its original amount after being cut last fiscal year. This allowed for some student organizations to receive an increased amount of funds.
“It was a very a good year for the budget, for sure,” Tordsen said.
[polldaddy poll=7972441]
Photo: SGA senators read student organization budget bills aloud during their April 15 meeting in the Muenster University Center. (Trent Opstedahl/The Volante)
