Oklahoma City University Student Government Association senators are striving to set a “better precedent” than years before, according to Senator Ben Ball, chair of the OCU Senate Appropriations Committee.
On Monday, October 30th, senate appropriations leaders convened at 6:00 p.m. to hear six grant funding requests, later reduced to only three, totaling $1,085. Amongst organizations requesting funds from SGA were Kappa Phi, OCU Blue Notes, and Out of the Box. Committee Members voted to approve only $265 worth of requests, aiding the OCU Blue Notes with future concerts, stating that they’re a “prime example” of what these funds have been allocated for.
This academic year, the OCU SGA was allocated $35,000 for grant funding requests, which is $5,000 less than in recent years, prompting Senate leaders to become more thoughtful about how funds are appropriated. So far, senators have approved just $4,000 in grant funding requests, with only two appropriations meetings left in the fall semester.
Sonny Tabor, Chief Justice of SGA, says he “respects the committee’s decision-making,” adding, “They’ve set a precedent very well.” While the Chief Justice, President, and Vice President don’t have voting privileges, they aim to assist senators in giving all organizations a fair chance when requesting funds.
So, what is the newly instated precedent of the Senate Appropriations Committee? They’ve focused on initiatives and events rather than funding budgets of student organizations, prioritizing funding “exactly what they need” this year. Chief Justice Tabor adds that things like t-shirts were not funded in the past but are now possible.
With over $13,000 left to support student organizations for the semester, the committee is hopeful that more requests will come. Organization leaders are encouraged to apply for grant funding requests at okcu.campuslabs.com, and be prepared to share immense details about how the funds will be used and why they’re needed to the committee.
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