With the number of Contracted Independent Organizations at the University growing every year, Student Council has faced the increasingly daunting task of allocating Student Activities Funds to student groups on Grounds.
This year, 320 CIOs requested a total of $1.5 million in appropriations from Council funds. Despite the high demand, the $39 Student Activities Fee paid annually by students provides only $605,000 for Student Council to allocate among the wide range of student groups.
Progressive problems
Each CIO applying for appropriations this semester was given the opportunity to attend a budget planning workshop sponsored by the Appropriations Committee and was offered individual guidance from a Committee member.
In late February, the Committee held hearings at which CIOs officially presented their budgets and offered explanations for their financial needs.
Since Council does not have adequate funds to meet 100 percent of the appropriations requested by CIOs, the Committee began using a progressive cut system last year in the allocation of funds.
In addition, if an organization's self-generated revenue exceeds the amount of its non-fundable expenditures, the additional amount is applied to the CIOs fundable requests.
"Automatic cuts don't compare how much a group actually needs," said Sam Brody, executive editor of The Declaration. "The cuts are based on how much you ask for, not whether what you ask for is proportional to what you need."
Admittedly, the progressive cuts affect some student groups more than others, DeJarnette said.
"CIOs in the top tier are definitely hit the hardest," DeJarnette said. "This group usual includes club sports, media groups and law journals."
These and other CIOs must be capable of meeting their own social and otherwise ineligible costs, he added.
"It is problematic if a CIO is not bringing in enough money to cover non-fundable expenses," DeJarnette said.
Making changes
Because cuts have put a strain on many of the CIOs which depend on Council appropriations for funding, the Committee has been urged to reform its current appropriations process.
One of the most significant critiques of the system is the seemingly runaway creation of new CIOs. The number of CIOs at the University has tripled over the last four years, DeJarnette said. With more student groups vying for the fixed amount available through the Student Activities Fund, each group is receiving less money.
Some of those involved in the process said they believe that limiting the number of CIOs and encouraging students to collaborate with existing groups rather than establishing new ones might relieve some of the burden new CIOs are placing on the Student Activities Fund.
"A lot of CIOs continually being funded overlap," Consortium of University Publications President Andrew P. Pratt said. "A full scale audit would really help people understand the situation and encourage them to establish themselves through a group that already has infrastructure set up."
Limiting the creation of new CIOs could easily result in lawsuits against Council, DeJarnette said.
"Student Council does not have the right to not allow a group to associate," he said. "We have the right to deny a group association based on overlapping status, but it is easy for groups to find an original purpose."
At the same time, encouraging similar groups to collaborate may free up funds, said current Appropriations Committee member Rebecca Keyworth.
"There are a lot of groups that provide similar service and have similar goals," she said. "Molding groups together and putting new groups in touch with people with similar interests would improve the process."
Offering rewards
Although the growing number of CIOs and subsequent funding cuts have placed financial strain on many student groups, Council is working to reward CIOs which demonstrate financial self-sufficiency through a newly-implemented rebate system.
Now, groups who are able to support some of their fundable expenditures will receive a refund from the progressive cuts.
"We are really trying to put an emphasis this year on encouraging CIOs to become self-sufficient," DeJarnette said. "Through the rebates, we are trying to reward those groups who are working towards self-sufficiency."
Still, some groups, such as media publications, maintain that self-sufficiency is an unfair standard by which to reward CIOs.
"Student Council is trying to emphasize self-sufficiency, but publications only have so many ways to make money," Brody said. "Self-sufficiency is a ridiculous demand for publications."
Many of the University's publications have been forced to cut their distribution as a result of recent budget cuts, Pratt said. Adding to the problem, these publications may find it more difficult to attract the same number of advertisers as publications with larger circulations, such as The Cavalier Daily, which is independent.
As a result, smaller publications only are able to achieve a limited degree of self-sufficiency, he added.
According to Keyworth, who was recently elected to serve as Council vice president for organizations in the upcoming school year, CIOs that are not satisfied with the Committee's allocation must appeal by Friday. Typically, 10 percent of CIOs appeal.
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