Funding Packet Prepared by the Comptroller

Transcription

1 Funding Packet Prepared by the Comptroller

2 Frequently Asked Questions What is the Student Senate? The Legislative Branch (or Senate) is composed of fifty-nine student leaders who are elected by the student body each year. Our Senate works solely with students and the many student organizations on our campus to provide them with the funds necessary for travel, conference registration, event planning, and whatever other expenses that may arise and cause a financial burden on a student. If you have any concerns or ideas regarding your rights as a student please contact us and we'll be sure to take care of it. How do I find out who my Senator is? You can find your assigned senator by visiting the SGA Office, located on the second floor of the Student Union Room 214. In the office, there is an updated list of Registered Student Organizations and the Senators that are assigned to each. Also, the Office of the Senate President Pro Tempore is responsible for assigning senators to represent organizations, and can be contacted at sga_pro@ucf.edu or in Room 214B. You can also find out your senator by visiting the Find Your Senator page (under the Branches link) on the SGA website. How do I receive funding from the Senate? The first step to receiving funding is always to contact your senator well in advance of your trip or event. Your senator will be able to evaluate your request and determine the best method of funding for your organization. There are three main methods of SGA funding: Allocations, Bills and the A&SF Budget. Each method has a specific purpose and your senator can help recommend which of them fits your needs. Where does the money come from? The money comes from the Activity & Service Fee. Every student pays a per credit hour fee that contributes to funding student activities and services. This includes things like the Student Union, the Recreation & Wellness Center, Student Legal Services, Homecoming, Late Knights and a multitude of other things. What is the difference between Senate and KoRT? KoRT is an advisory group that can help organizations with many operational aspects such as event planning, membership, officer training, fundraising, and much more. KoRT serves as a resource for student organizations and provides opportunities for leadership development and for organizations to showcase themselves to the UCF campus. Senate, on the other hand, helps organizations by assisting in funding events and travel. While KoRT and SGA have defined roles in helping organizations, they may also work together to host events, like the Senate Meet & Greet, and to advocate for student organization needs (e.g., policy changes). Each RSO has a both a KoRT representative and Senator assigned to assist it.

3 Senate Committees Financial Allocations for Organizations Committee (FAO): The FAO Committee is responsible for overseeing the Senate Working Fund and the Office Supplies Account. It allocates money from these accounts to registered student organizations. FAO hears all allocations and bills for Events/Performances/etc. on campus. Meeting Time: Contact: Conference Registration and Travel Committee (CRT): The CRT Committee is the sister fiscal committee to the FAO Committee. CRT is responsible for overseeing the Registration and Travel Account. CRT approves allocations and bills for travel, registration, and conference expenses for individual UCF students and registered student organizations. Meeting Time: Contact: Operations Review Committee (ORC): ORC reviews and investigates the use of all funds allocated through the Activity and Service Fee to ensure that they are being used properly. ORC handles all Post Event and Post Travel Forms and approves promotional material. The ORC Committee also reviews and makes changes to the Finance Code (Title VIII). Meeting Time: Contact: Funding From Senate Organizational programming costs may be subsidized with the Activity and Service Fee (A&SF) through (1) Senate committee allocations, (2) Senate Bills, and (3) A&SF Budgets. Each year, the A&SF Budget Committee creates guidelines that set restrictions on funding. Organizations should review these guidelines, also known as Proviso Language, for the fiscal year prior to making requests. This language is included in Bill 43-80, which can be found on the A&SF Business Office webpage. The Senate and Senate committees meet weekly during the fall and spring semesters (excluding University holidays and final examination periods), and bi-weekly in the summer. Please keep this in mind when planning funding requests.

4 (1) Senate Committee Allocations FAO Committee Allocations Questions? A. Office Supply Account RSOs may apply for an office supply allocation by completing the FAO Allocation Request Office Supply Form. RSOs are limited to a maximum of one $100 committee allocation per fiscal year out of the Office Supply Account. Requested amounts in excess of this limit must be presented to the Senate as a bill. B. Senate Working Fund The Senate Working Fund provides funds for: projects (e.g., speakers and events) not provided for by other Senate accounts programs for organizations whose membership is open to all UCF students without regard to race, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, marital or parental status, veteran s status, religion, or sexual orientation. projects that do not charge an admission fee to UCF students projects that benefit the student body in general RSOs may apply for an allocation out of this account by completing the FAO Allocation Request Form. RSOs are limited to a maximum of one $1000 committee allocation per semester. Requested amounts in excess of this limit must be presented to the Senate as a bill. CRT Committee Allocations Questions? sga_crt@ucf.edu RSOs may apply for an allocation to cover travel expenses related to workshops, conventions, conferences, and competitions by completing the CRT Travel Request Form. Food shall not be considered a travel expense unless it is included in the registration fees. RSOs are limited to a maximum of one $1500 committee allocation per fiscal year out of the Registration and Travel Account, while individual students are limited to a maximum of one $250 committee allocation per fiscal year. Requested amounts in excess of these limits must be presented to the Senate as a bill. Additionally, if the allocated funds for identical travel requests (i.e., requests by several students or RSOs to attend the same conference) exceed $1500, all additional allocation requests for that travel must be presented to the entire Senate for approval. Request for Funds Forms An RSO requesting an allocation (through CRT or FAO) must submit an Allocation Request Form to the front desk in the SGA office. These forms are available in the SGA Office (SU 214) and online. It is suggested that groups submit the proper forms at least six school weeks prior to the date funding is needed. After submitting the form, RSOs should attend the following FAO or CRT committee meeting to present the allocation request.

5 (2) Senate Bill An RSO that requests more than the committee allocation limits described above must have the request submitted via a Senate bill, which requires the help of a Senator. With the assistance of the RSO, a Senator will write a bill and submit it to the Speaker of the Senate for placement on first reading of the Senate s next agenda. At that Senate meeting, the bill will be remanded to either the FAO or CRT committee, based on the bill s content. At the subsequent FAO or CRT committee meeting, the bill s benefits to the student body will be weighed against the costs. The committee will then make a recommendation to the Senate and the bill will be placed onto second reading at the following Senate meeting. The bill will be debated by the entire Senate during this reading and again on third reading, typically in two separate Senate meetings. During these debates, the bill may be changed via amendments. It could also be killed at any point. RSO representatives must be available at the FAO or CRT committee presentation and at both Senate meetings that follow. This will allow Senators to ask questions and hear the RSO s perspective on the bill. Once it is on third reading, the Senate will take a final vote on the bill. If the bill passes the Senate s final vote, it is sent to the Student Body President and Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Services (SDES) for their signatures of approval. With three weeks of readings and the time needed for the approving signatures, the bill process can take up to eight school weeks. Money cannot be spent until the bill is signed and returned to SGA. Therefore, RSOs are strongly encouraged to begin the bill process at least 10 school weeks before funding is actually needed. For example, if a conference is in May but the registration deadline is April 1, then the RSO should begin the bill process by mid-january. Organizations that have trouble getting in contact with their Senator should contact the Senate Pro Tempore at sga_pro@ucf.edu. (3) A&SF Budget Established RSOs whose programming or travel has proven to be successful are encouraged to apply for funding through the A&SF Budget Committee. An RSO that has been in continuous active existence for the previous spring and fall semesters is eligible to apply for a budget through this process. The two biggest issues organizations face regarding the A&SF Budget process are (1) misinterpretation of the required paperwork, and (2) miscommunication due to leadership turnover around the time requests are due. Because of this, many RSOs miss the deadline, thus restricting funding eligibility. It is the RSO s responsibility to submit all completed documents by the deadline and maintain its registration status with OSI throughout the process and into the next fiscal year. Additionally, all RSOs are encouraged to visit the A&SF Business Office website under Financial Center to see if they unknowingly received money for this fiscal year. Receiving money via the A&SF Budget Committee does not restrict the ability of an organization to request money through a committee allocation or Senate bill. That being said, organizations that were allocated money for a specific event or conference in the A&SF Budget cannot request a bill or allocation for that same event or conference. Questions about A&SF Budgets may be directed to the A&SF Budget Committee Chair E. Joshua Miller at sga_asf@ucf.edu.

6 1) Important Procedures a. Update Forms Important Information for RSOs i. Every organization is required to submit an Update Form to OSI by the end of the second week of the Fall and Spring semester. An organization must also submit an Update Form every time the organization changes officers. The form can be found at under the Update Form link. b. RSO Orientation i. In addition to submitting the Update Form in the fall and spring semesters, each Registered Student Organization (RSO) must annually (based on the academic calendar) attend an orientation in order to gain registration with OSI. Orientations will address topics like publicity, event planning, mailboxes, taxes, SGA funding, and more. Organizations should send at least one current (as indicated on the Update Form), eligible (as indicated by the Golden Rule) officer, but are encouraged to send more. Advisors are encouraged to attend as well. ii. Organizations are encouraged to attend an orientation as soon as possible in the Fall, as groups are registered ONLY after OSI receives the completed hard copy of the Update Form AND a current, eligible officer attends orientation. If your organization receives credit for attending a session in the fall, it will not have to attend a spring orientation. However, groups that elect new officers in the spring and have received credit for attending an orientation in the fall are encouraged to send a new officer to a session. Officers should sign up for officer training at under the Student Organization Orientation link. 2) Financial Training a. All student organizations that have been allocated A&SF funds for any of their activities must have all authorized officers (as indicated on the organization s most recently submitted Update Form) successfully complete the Financial Training Workshop offered by the Activity & Service Fee Business Office. Your student organization will not be allowed to spend of any of your allocated A&SF funds until all of your authorized officers have successfully completed the Financial Training Workshop. i. Sign up is now done online. For information and sign up please visit: under the Financial Training Sessions link. b. Senators i. Every RSO has a student senator assigned to it. The senator should be sending important information to the person listed as the Contact Person on the Update Form. It is up to the Contact Person of the organization to disseminate this information to the rest of the organization. ii. Senators are also responsible for writing bills for organizations. Before going to the Senate to speak on your bill, please be sure to have your senator adequately prepare you.

7 1. Bills need to be submitted at least 10 school weeks prior to the date that funds need to be dispensed. For example, if the conference is in April, but registration fees are due March 15, begin discussions with your senator at least 10 school weeks before March Do not spend money before your bill comes through, as you will not be reimbursed. iii. If you do not know your organization s senate representative, please the Pro Tempore s office at: sga_pro@ucf.edu. c. Do s and Don ts i. Do make sure your organization s constitution is up to date. 1. Remember your constitution is a living document and should be as current as possible. 2. If revisions are made, please be sure to update your constitution with the Office of Student Involvement (OSI). ii. Do use SGA for all that it has to offer. 1. SGA is here for the students, and has much to offer RSOs besides funding. Take advantage of this. 2. Stay in contact with your senator, and do not be afraid to ask him/her questions. Remember he/she is your liaison to SGA. 3. Attend SGA meetings on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm in SU 218. The better the senate knows what your organization is and what it does, the more likely you are to get maximum funding. 4. Please familiarize yourself with allocation and bill timelines, and plan accordingly. iii. Do not be late turning in required paperwork. 1. This can severely jeopardize your organization s standings with the University. 2. Unregistered Student Organizations are not eligible to receive any funding, or make reservations for rooms in the Student Union (SU), among other things. SGA Website: A&SF Business Office Website: OSI Website: KoRT Website: Comptroller: sga_comp@ucf.edu Speaker of the Senate: sga_spkr@ucf.edu Senate President Pro Tempore: sga_pro@ucf.edu FAO Chair: sga_fao@ucf.edu CRT Chair: sga_crt@ucf.edu ORC Chair: sga_orc@mail.ucf.edu Quick Contacts