A Closer Look: Some organizations see flaws in new arrangement

Though the newly implemented Student Organization Operational
Fund process for student groups has created some clarity in the
process of obtaining university funds, some group leaders still
have mixed feelings about the current system.

While some student group leaders are content with the structural
changes, others believe there are flaws.

Among the most striking differences this year is the ability to
apply for funding every quarter rather than annually.

“It’s better because it puts more focus on what you
need for the quarter,” said Sonia Hingorany, internal vice
president for the Indian Student Union, adding that it helps them
eliminate what they do not need.

Unlike last year, when 42 out of the 134 student groups that
applied were denied funding, everyone who applied for funding this
year and was present for a budget hearing received some sort of
allocation.

After being denied funding last year for what he said were
unclear reasons, Jon Binney, secretary and former president of
Robotics Project, was fairly pleased about this year’s
system, he said.

“In the past it has been extremely partisan,” Binney
said. “Looking at numbers this year there is almost no
connection. … (It’s) extremely even across the
board.”

Binney was also content with the “refreshing” amount
of clarity throughout the whole process, but hopes that council
institutionalizes feedback.

“I’d like to see a feedback process … taking input
from groups and using that to refine the process further,”
Binney said.

The fund only provides money for operational purposes, such as
officer stipends, supplies and advertising. Funding for
programming, events the groups organize throughout the year, can be
attained from the Undergraduate Students Association Contingency
fund and other sources.

While filling out the application, Hingorany said she had to
provide repeated detailed descriptions about the events her group
is planning to put on, even though this round of funding would not
provide programming funds.

“It would have been nice to apply for program funding
through (the operational funding) application,” she said,
emphasizing that she had no major issues with this year’s
system.

Though student groups can request as much as they want, there is
a cap set at $4,317. Groups who request amounts upward of the cap
are at an advantage in receiving more funds over groups like Mortar
Board, which only requested $282.30.

Nat Schuster, president of the Jewish Student Union, believes
this is the system’s flaw.

“If you’re not well-connected with members of the
funding body you don’t learn the little hints,”
Schuster said in a voice message, referring to knowing to apply
above the cap for a full advantage.

Schuster also emphasized that the specified uses for operational
funds creates a “real obstacle” for funding programs
early in the year, he said.

“There are no funding bodies … which provide for actual
programming,” Schuster said.

Andy Green, former president of JSU, said the system is
problematic.

“Groups who were considerate (to the cap) got
screwed,” Green said.

Some student organizations requested upward of $20,000.

Hingorany couldn’t even “fathom” trying to
justify needs for that much money within one quarter, she said.

Aliya Hussaini, external affairs director for the Muslim Student
Association, said it was important for her group to request
$10,505.53 regardless of the cap.

“We wanted to make it known that even though we knew we
weren’t going to get that amount ““ our need is always
much greater than the university can provide and we need to show
that as much as we can,” Hussaini said.

Though the Robotics Project requested just over $900, they only
received $96, but were happy considering last year’s
denial.

“Last year we survived on zero,” Binney said.
“We are going to get by.”

The $96 will provide the club with administrative supplies,
though Binney had hoped to use the $900 toward educational
events.

Asking for over $8,000, the Vietnamese Student Union said it
needed that money for a range of duties, including advertising in
the Daily Bruin and mass photocopying.

Now that they only received just over $1,000, they must review
their proposal and prioritize, said Phong Ly, president of the
club.

Student groups often have to depend on external sources even
after they receive their allocations from student government.

With more and more groups on campus each year, making ends meet
is always an issue group leaders are concerned about.

“I hope in the future we have a bigger pool for more
funding,” Hussaini said.

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