The allocations committee of the Student Government Association finalized the fall 2009 budget allocations, which granted most leaders of student organizations the funds they requested.

However, others did not receive their cut of $58,082.82 that was allocated among those student organizations that applied.

    The allocations committee, which consists of college presidents and Senators-At-Large, as well as psychology pre-med senior and Brittani McClain, accepted budget packets from organizations that applied. Flawed applications, or leaders dissatisfied with the amount granted to their organizations, were given an opportunity to make corrections or appeal in the post allocations/appeals process spearheaded by Maria Rossi, SGA vice president and English junior, and Jiad Alqotob, director of finance and accounting sophomore.

    In an attempt to decrease the possibility for errors, presidents and treasurers of student organizations had to attend one of three mandatory meetings to learn about the policies and procedures of the budget allocations process. In addition to this, SGA addressed a letter to student leaders advising them to read carefully the three-page budget packet, which included a page for itemization of all items needing funding, along with an explanation and justification for each item.  

While the allocations committee exercised these proactive measures, some student
 organizations such as Panhellenic Council and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, were not allocated the full amount requested and given a smaller portion due to lack of documentation. In post allocations, Panhellenic requested $1,250, but received about 30 percent, totaling $395.75, and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity received 25 percent of $2,769.03, which totaled $716.43. However, Brian Dirden, mass communication senior and president of Alpha Phi Alpha, said the organization has enough money to attend their regional convention in Tulsa, Okla., and as long as they had that they were satisfied.

The Society of Professional Journalists, among a few others, received no funds for the semester.

    Reasons for discrepancies vary, including disregard for SGA budget packet funds violations such as improperly completing budget packets, insufficient or missing documentation, failure to attend mandatory meeting, wanting to fund a social event and including food, unlike last semester, which is deemed “not essential to the nature of an event,” according to SGA policy.

    Alqotob, who was the acting record keeper for the allocations process, attributes the errors to the fact that some club leaders thought they knew how to fill out the budget packets.

     “Most of the cuts were food-related,” he said.

    Jonathan Rowan, finance senior and president of the college of business, who has experience with the allocations process, said, “Most organizations did not receive full funding were generally cut for improper itemization, improper documentation and not properly filling out the packet.”

To fulfill his campus-wide initiative required by all members of the senate, Rowan said he wants to “work with the director of finance to take the education of allocations out of House of Representatives and move it back to seminars (which) will strictly focus on educating the organization on the process.” 

    “Essentially, I want all organizations to have the best shot at funding,” he said.

Charmaine Jackson can be reached at [email protected]