Student Council completed a beginning step in its appropriations process last night by releasing of a list of Contracted Independent Organizations that requested funding.
The funds, which come from the Student Activities Fee, are necessary for the survival of many CIOs.
This year, 168 CIOs applied for funding, compared to last year's 158. The total requested amount is $776,136.15.
Originally, 210 student organizations expressed interest in applying for funding. The number dropped when some groups realized they were fiscally self-sufficient.
"We're really proud that some groups that were thinking to apply realized that they were self-sufficient," Vice President for Organizations Kelly Harris said. "We really like to see this."
The Black Student Alliance is one of the groups who decided they did not need additional financial support.
"Through a lot of fundraising this year, the amount we would have applied for would have been so low that it wasn't worth our while to apply for funding," BSA President Michael Costa said.
Student groups have been meeting with Appropriations Committee members for the past 10 days to discuss the requested budgets.
"The Committee members have worked extremely hard these past 10 days," Committee Chairman Patrick McCreesh said. "Committee members have put in about 20 hours, a time commitment that has not occurred in the past."
All CIOs were invited to apply for the Student Activities Fee funding.
Hearings will begin on Friday as the appropriations process continues. Changes have been made to make the process move more smoothly.
"I think that the hearings are going to go very well because of the added buffer time in between hearings," McCreesh said.
Council will hear each student group that applied over the next two weekends.
During the hearing CIO leaders will explain their budget and how they plan to use the requested money.
Decisions on funding are based on the degree of self-sufficiency, size, uniqueness, history of fiscal responsibility and likelihood of the CIO to carry through with its proposed plans.
"The Student Activities Fee is here to fund groups that help add to the educational environment at the University," Harris said.
The funding goes towards supplies, materials and other needed goods for the student groups. Among other activities, Council cannot allot money for social events and religious and political activities.
Political and religious groups, however, were invited to apply. These groups will receive funding for non-political or non-religious needs such as office supplies or other necessary operating costs.
University Democrats and University Christian Fellowship are among the political and religious groups that applied for money.
"Decisions will be made on a case by case basis," Harris said.
Deliberations will take place during the first weekend in March. Groups will pick up the final allocation letter on Mar. 30. They may appeal Committee decisions after that.
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