Last week, students could not turn their heads without witnessing some discussion of CCSGA funding drama.
New financial policy changes came to light in tandem with elections for next year’s student body officers, a combination that easily ignited discussion regarding the efficiency and transparency of CCSGA spending.
Before—and even amidst—the current controversy, much of the student body was unaware of the way in which CCSGA funding and budgeting functioned. CCSGA maintains a current operating budget of approximately $237,000, a sum pooled directly from the student activities’ fee of $410 that each student pays in addition to his or her tuition.
The vast majority of this sum is dispersed to over 117 student groups in the fall, and the rest is allocated to special events funding throughout the school year. Each student group on campus has full discretion of its own operating budget, and once they have received their operating budget from CCSGA, the money is out of student government’s hands.
Therefore, the pool of money most drawn out of—and most politicized, according to Vice President of Finance Erik Laitos—is the special events funding.
Close to $150,000 is reserved to support everything from campus’s most notable events such as Blues ‘N Shoes, to various cultural events such as Asian Culture Night and Africa Day, to lectures in conjunction with various academic departments.
There exists a formal application process in order for student groups to receive special events funding. A financial committee, consisting of four members and a Vice President, has the final say in fund distribution.
The Committee members are also elected members of full council, and the Vice President of Finance serves solely as a “neutral arbiter,” according to Laikos. Student groups arrive to a pre-arranged meeting and present a funding proposal to the committee, who then deliberates anywhere from five minutes to an hour, depending on the size and impact of the proposed event.
“Funds are distributed efficiently,” said student body president Alejandro Salazar. “Groups can apply at the beginning of the week and hear back by the end of the week.”
There are funds, however, that are not incumbent upon a highly formalized application process, and it is these funds that have stoked much of the controversy regarding CCSGA spending.
During his time as Vice President of Finance last year, Salazar discovered a huge portion of the student activities fee pool that had remained unallocated in years past. That pool was divided amongst Cutler Publications, Outdoor Education, special events funding, and what CCSGA calls discretionary funds.
“The point of discretionary funds was for us to fund people coming to us with big ideas that couldn’t be funded otherwise,” said Salazar.
Discretionary funds are found in nearly every office of campus, according to Salazar, and much of CCSGA’s discretionary funds this year went to events that needed extra money.
“This was a trial year to see how discretionary funds could work,” said Salazar. “Next year, we’re planning to cut that fund in half.”
New changes are being implemented, however, in order to incorporate greater student involvement in the major financial decisions of student government.
“After last year’s Ice Age spending controversy, any future funding request over $5,000 has to be presented to Full Council,” said Salazar.
Full Council would submit their feedback to the finance committee, who then made an ultimate funding decision. Next year, there are plans in place to allow Full Council to vote on all financial proposals over $5,000.
As Vice President of Finance for the 2015-2016 school year, Salazar has several unique financial proposals, both of which address some of the current concerns of the larger student body.
“I hope to expand the way in which we raise the student activities fee and open the issue to a campus-wide vote,” said Salazar. “The student activities fee is increasing next year, but that decision was isolated to the college’s budget committee with input from only two students who sit on the committee. “
Next year, Salazar hopes that various student groups will be the ones to propose an increase to the fee in order to fund a certain vision, such as subsidized Outdoor Education trips. The student body would then vote whether to increase the student activities fee in order to directly fund the specific proposal.
“It’s the most democratic way to figure out the priorities of the students,” says Salazar.
The Finance Committee also hopes to set up tables outside Rastall during second and third weeks so that members can address any questions or concerns students may have regarding CCSGA spending decisions.