Student Senate is changing its allotment process.
The changes began Sept. 24 with senators unanimously agreeing to suspend parts of the student constitution.
Senators voted to suspend Article 1, Section 1 Part B and Article 6 until further notice. The motion was passed by consent.
A copy of the bylaws is available to view at mediaocu.com.
Suspending these rules allows senators to change the way organizations request allotments and how Student Senate will grant money.
Senate gives about $12,000 in allotments to student organizations. These funds are used for events, homecoming, trip expenses, or however else the organization chooses to use the funds.
The suspension of the bylaws is the first step to making the process easier on organizations, said Sean McDivitt, second-year law student and appropriations chairman for Student Senate.
Generally organizations have received allotments funds by this time in the semester. The committee plans to have the allotments process revised no later than Nov. 1.
“We get recurring questions every year, and we answer them based on tradition,” McDivitt said. “It’s not necessarily the best policy. We really need to fix it.”
The new allotments process, once installed, will be almost entirely on OrgSync, which recently replaced the Involved website as OCU’s online clearinghouse for campus organizations.
Student senators hope OrgSync will take the emphasis off email and paper, making information more accessible to organizations.
“I am constantly bombarded with emails,” McDivitt said. “This will help centralize information for organizations.
“It is extremely important that organizations are on OrgSync.”
Deadlines will be based on when the organizations applies for funds. In the past, deadlines have been set regardless of the needs of organizations.
McDivitt said the streamlined process will increase accountability for organizations and Student Senate.
Organizations had the opportunity to elect seven members to the allotments committee during yesterday’s Prexie Club meeting, when all the presidents of student organizations meet.
“The process requires more than just me, and I want people to realize it’s not just one person,” McDivitt said. “We are trying to make this a collaborative effort.”
A more accessible allotments process will benefit the campus, said Nora Gnabasik, business/theater performance junior.
“What they want to do is make the allotments process more fair for all organizations,” Gnabasik said.
A copy of the bylaws can be found here.
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