Ohio University Student Senate is waiting on a decision from the OU administration on whether to implement an $150,000 increase in funding for the Student Appropriations Commission beginning in the 2017-18 academic year.
The Senate Appropriations Commission is one of 12 commissions within senate. It funds student organizations on a biweekly and annual basis.
According to senate, the commission’s funding has received a disproportionate amount of the university’s funding relative to enrollment and tuition for the past 15 years. As tuition continues to rise, the funds allocated per student to the commission’s budget has fallen, limiting student organizations’ spending power.
If the budget increase is approved, student organizations would be better equipped to plan events and attend conferences. Currently, the commission can give $1,500 to organizations per event. With more money in the budget, that cap could be raised, Student Senate Treasurer Steve Lichtenfels said.
“A group recently applied for a conference and the registration fee was over $1,500,” Lichtenfels said. “The increase will give more educational and programming opportunities as well as allow student organizations from regional campuses to receive more funding opportunities in general.”
Senate President Hannah Clouser and SAC Vice Commissioner Haley Klier said much of the increased funding would go to the “big three” organizations: the International Student Union, University Program Council and Black Student Cultural Programming Board.
The “big three” received 60 percent of the SAC budget in 2015, according to a previous Post report.
“It’s not totally decided how money would be dispersed, but in general it would be better for students,” Clouser said.
After senate passed a bill to support the SAC increase at its Nov. 16 meeting, Lichtenfels sent senate’s request to a list of administrators including provost Pam Benoit, Vice President of Student Affairs Jason Pina and Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones.
“From here we’re going to wait and see,” Klier said. “We’re presenting to Budget Planning Council if they’ll have us and it will be decided from there.”
Lichtenfels said the administration will hopefully make its decision within the first two months of second semester.
“I think they see the value in it, but I’m worried there’s not money to be given out,” Klier said. “Somewhere else has to get the cut.”
Clouser said another department on campus would be losing money in order to fund the SAC increase. Because of that, however, the increase would not affect tuition.
“We would never recommend a tuition increase to cover that,” Clouser said. “I think it would only be positive for the student body. We always have the best student interests in mind thinking about where to shift money around.”
Lichtenfels agreed that, due to the OHIO Guarantee, tuition would remain unaffected by the SAC increase.
Senators did not see a negative aspect to the SAC increase in regard to students.
“This is going to be a good thing,” Clouser said. “We’re going to continue to fight to see it happen.”
