The Ohio University Student Appropriations Commission is rolling out a new application process for student organizations looking for funds.
Student leaders looking to fund an event that is $500 or less can now apply and receive the money during the same semester.
The first step in the process is to attend a workshop after re-registering a student organization. The workshop, which teaches SAC policies and financial skills, is an annual requirement offered once a semester, said Tina Kongkeo, SAC commissioner.
“They can apply at anytime, but they won’t receive a decision until weeks four and 10,” she said.
The new process is supposed to help smaller organizations receive the funds they need in a shorter amount of time, Kongkeo said.
The new system is designed to meet student group needs on the new semester schedule.
“I think these past two years, we’ve worked tirelessly to make sure we would transition well,” said Evan Ecos, Student Senate treasurer. “SAC has gone above and beyond because it affects every student and every student organization.”
Senate members are optimistic about the opportunities created for smaller student groups.
“Before, it was more for larger organizations; smaller organizations couldn’t just apply,” said Austin LaForest, Campus Activities Committee chair on SAC.
Any registered student organization on campus is eligible to apply, Kongkeo said.
Ecos said the 2012–13 SAC budget is $443,000, with $104,000 remaining.
“It’s actually the same budget, essentially,” he said. “We didn’t receive any cuts, and we received carry-over.”
Kongkeo, a senior, said the budget was more than $500,000 during her freshman year.
“We’re thankful we didn’t receive any cuts,” she said.
The programming boards, such as University Program Council, receive $83,000 to distribute, he said.
“Instead of SAC having to program the events, we allow the programming boards to do so,” Ecos said.
He said there has been a lot of spending in recent weeks, for programs such as the POWER/GAMMA Spotlight Party held last week in Baker University Center.
But, he said students should not feel as though SAC is running out of funds.
“There is more than enough left in the budget to get us through the school year,”
Ecos said.
bl171210@ohiou.edu
