New Regulations Could Cut Student Org Funding

More than 250 student organizations receive funding from the Student Government Association each year, but legislation passed last week by the Student Senate now allows such funding to be denied or taken away.

According to the heads of SGA’s budget and finance committee, the group that allocates funds to student organizations, the new regulations will increase efficiency.

Farah Mechref Profile

Farah Mechref is the head of the budget and finance committee. Blaine Hill/The Hub@TTU

“If we can stay efficient right now, and if we can make sure that the organizations spend all their money in this moment, then we can guarantee that we will receive more funds in the future to give to those organizations,”  said Farah Mechref, the current budget and finance chairwoman.

One of the changes made to the funding handbook, Mechref said, is a new deadline for funding applications, now due Dec. 23.

Organizations that turn in applications after that date through Jan. 23 will receive an automatic 20 percent deduction in funds. Any organization that does not have its application turned in by Jan. 23 would not receive funds, even if it appeals the decision.

Student organizations that fail to turn in timely applications would be allowed to apply for contingency funding, Mechref said. This type of funding typically goes to groups who need extra money and is allotted to organizations at the discretion of the committee.

The senate bill also allows for student organizations to lose all their funding if their representatives fail to complete funding and risk management training and register with the Center for Campus Life.

Organizations must complete these requirements by Oct. 31 or else they would lose a third of their funding, Mechref said. On Dec. 23, another third would be deducted, and on Feb. 28, if a group still has not met the requirements, all remaining funding would be taken away.

These changes in the funding handbook were needed because, according to Mechref, the SGA had to return $40,000 in unspent student organization funds to the university last year.

“The fact that we are giving $40,000 back means that in the next following year, they aren’t going to give us nearly as much,” she said.

Mechref highlighted that many organizations complete the process correctly and receive every penny they want and deserve, allowing them to fund competitions, outreach projects and other events to bring better recognition to Texas Tech.

In the past, student organizations have not used all funds received, which is why the previous budget and finance chairperson created a system of funding coordinators. Each coordinator was assigned several organizations to ensure each spent its allotted funds. The Senate re-approved the funding coordinator process again this year.

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Robbie Meyer is the vice chairperson of the budget and finance committee. Blaine Hill/The Hub@TTU

Robbie Meyer, the budget and finance committee’s vice chair, said checks and balances are needed because as Texas Tech grows, more and more student organizations are bidding for SGA’s money.

“More organizations are coming about, but we still have the same amount of money,” Meyer said. “There is not a good way to put the money to use if the organizations we give it to aren’t using it, and these new organizations can use it, but they have a cap of $500 as a new student organization.”

Student organization funding comes from student fees, which are a part of tuition costs.

About Blaine Hill

I am the community reporter and a Junior journalism major. I'm an avid book worm and I know how to make pies from scratch.