The Undergraduate Finance Committee decided last week to allocate roughly the same amount as last year to each of the nine campus-wide programming organizations funded by the $35-per-term student activities fee.
The allocations came in the form of a recommendation to Dean of Student Life Holly Sateia, who was in charge of the UFC's proceedings, about how to split up the $430,000 that will be collected this year in activities fees. Last year the committee gave out the same amount.
The funds allocated last week will go into budgets for the 1995-96 fiscal year. A source on the UFC said the committee will meet again in the spring to allocate any additional money raised by the fees that was not accounted for in this year's prediction, which should be between $10,000 and $15,000.
The Student Assembly took the biggest budget cut from last year, roping in only $24,000 -- a decrease of $6,000. Last year's $30,000 allocation already marked a cut of nearly one-third from the Assembly's previous allocation.
"I am quite disappointed in the amount of money we received," Assembly Treasurer Scott Rowekamp '97 said. He said the decision is unfortunate because it may not allow the Assembly to continue some current student programs, like the undergraduate publications fund.
But he said the UFC's decision should make the Assembly realize it needs to be more "fiscally responsible" and prioritize current student projects.
The funding for the Coed, Fraternity, Sorority Council was also decreased -- down $1,000 to $4,000 -- and was earmarked specifically for speakers in the New Member Series, according to Bill Tovell, the CFSC's representative on the UFC.
Last year the CFSC received $5,000 to help houses pay for door monitors to enforce the alcohol policy, Bob Bordone '94, then member of the UFC, told The Dartmouth last November. Tovell said the CFSC asked for $14,000 this year but declined to discuss the reasons behind the UFC's decision.
Other than the Programming Board, which was allocated about $4,000 more than last year, the funding for the remaining groups either held static or was inched up by less than $2,000.
The UFC allocated $66,500 to the athletic department ($65,000 last year); $9,000 to the Class Councils ($9,000 last year); $53,100 to the Council on Student Organizations ($51,600 last year); $20,000 to the Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts ($18,500 last year); $27,000 to the Office of Residential Life ($25,400 last year); and $7,900 to the Office of Student Life ($7,900 last year).
The Programming Board will receive approximately $218,500, which comprises nearly one-half of the UFC's budget.
Tim Rodenberger '95, the Programming Board's representative to the UFC, said he was pleased with the amount his group received. He said the extra money will fund a number of formals during the year, such as on Homecoming and Green Key weekends.
One representative from each of the nine organizations serves on the UFC. This year five at-large members of the student body were selected to serve as well.
Members said they could not discuss specifics of the proceedings, but that proposals submitted by the groups exceeded the budget limit by more than $100,000.
Rodenberger said the process was done fairly and democratically to ensure that all organizations were given an appropriate share of money to continue on-going student programs.
He said each group requesting funds makes a 20-minute-maximum presentation and submits a budget to the group detailing how much money the organization needs and how it plans to spend it.
Sateia said the UFC spent much time scrutinizing proposals to fund programs which sponsor activities in the best interests of students.
She added that the process is a tough situation. UFC members are required to gather information about every area of the organization's finances and ask questions of the other committee members. A majority vote of the committee determines the final appropriations.
Sateia said the UFC had a hard time apportioning the money because each of the organizations had petitioned for more funds than the UFC was able to distribute.
The UFC is not a programming committee and exists to ensure the money is spent according to how it is proposed. It is not the UFC's duty to judge the merits of the program, Sateia said.
