Organizations not submitting budget requests for upcoming expenses this semester can request additional funds from the Student Government Association’s Appropriations Committee.
“Funding requests presented did not make it in either the annual or the semester budget submissions, but rather were additional requests for funding within the current semester,” said Charles Beville, assistant director for business services, after the Feb. 4 appropriations committee meeting.
Alternative Spring Break, an organization that sends VCU students across the country to volunteer, requested $19,257 to send students to places such as New York City, Philadelphia, Michigan and Alabama.
“I can’t imagine a better way in which VCU ambassadors can be portrayed than those dedicated to service,” Benita Panigrahi, president of Alternative Spring Break, told committee members.
Rebecca Armstrong, president of the Illustrators Club, requested $3,945 for the club to visit the Brandywine River Museum, near Philadelphia. The group plans to take a two-day bus trip to visit the museum this spring. Armstrong said her organization would like to sponsor more on-campus activities and requested funds to bring Jim Nuttle, a graphic designer, illustrator and former ’81 VCU graduate to campaign for a program.
“I hope to keep the club active and running while keeping people informed and excited about what our club is doing,” Armstrong said. “We plan to have an art sale to benefit the club, and we will also have demonstrations by faculty members in the illustration department.”
Beville said when an organization presents a request, the committee bases its decisions on the number of students participating in the organization, how well the paperwork is submitted and other factors.
“The entire budget preparation, submission and approval process is student-based and administered,” he said. “Senators making up the committee decide by formal vote on what they approve.”
In addition, organizations must meet specific deadlines about what can be funded because an organization can be rejected by not following those specific deadlines.
“Denial of some of an organization’s entire request for funding could also result from the organization’s lack of sufficient support for the expenditure,” Beville said. “The appropriations committee addresses each budget line item for reasonableness, compliance with precedent, those who would benefit from such expenditures and factors including whether or not the organization made any attempts to bear the burden of some of the cost through dues collection and fundraising.”
Nevertheless, organizations disagreeing with the committee’s decision may appeal that decision.
“The appeal process is in our guidelines, which each organization is asked to read before attending our meeting,” said Arman Amiri, appropriations committee chairman. “If they wish to appeal, they appeal to the appropriations committee first and then they may appeal to the senate.”
This happened to the Graduate Student Association’s $4,350 request for honorariums and other expenses last fall. It appealed the committee’s decision at the Feb. 4 meeting and increased its request to $5,500.
Kathleen Hall, symposium chair for the Graduate Student Association, and its vice president Rohini George, said they wanted to give honorariums to reward graduate students showing work at the graduate symposium, the group’s major project.
“I feel that these honorariums are important because the graduate students who present at these symposiums put aside time and homework to inform the public about what type of research VCU is doing,” Hall told the committee. “We also gain experience when we defend our master theses. My biggest hope is that we will produce the leaders of tomorrow, and they’ll give us back money in the future.”
Ebony Drake, president of the Black Awakening Choir, requested $14,825 to help the organization after it tried to raise the money. She said $600 of the request will pay the choir’s director, who is not associated with VCU. The group is planning a March 31 trip to Atlanta to perform at a college Gospel Choir Competition.
“We are requesting $600 because we need to pay our director for the months of March and April,” Drake told the committee. “He comes from outside of the university. He has good quality music, and he helps with the band.”
Beville and the committee members encourage organizations to submit 2005-2006 budget requests before spring break so they can plan ahead.
“It ensures availability of funding for those events and activities included in their budget requests for the upcoming semester,” Beville said. “Entertainers are contracted, rooms for events are reserved, travel reservations are made, based on approved dollars.
“Waiting late in the semester for funding requests increases the potential for reduced approvals based on fund availability.”