More than $1,100 was reclaimed from 63 student groups last week as part of the Student Association’s mid-year allocations process. While 13 groups gained money, this year’s mid-year budget submission process saw more groups lose money than in past years.

“The SA conducts mid-year allocations to make sure the student groups have the right amount of money to sustain programming for the second semester,” said SA Sen. Dan Moss (U-SBPM).

But Moss said the SA finance committee could not examine many student organization budgets because the SA never received them, he said.

“The only reason why groups lost money was if they didn’t submit a budget,” Moss said.

Moss said the SA is required to cut 15 percent of the remaining budget if none was received or no money was spent. He said the current system is kinder than last year, when the SA cut 15 percent of the original allocations.

Some groups lost up to 50 percent of their starting budgets.

Each organization was sent two e-mails, one from the Student Activities Center and one from the SA, he said. Many of the groups who did not send in a budget claim they never received an e-mail.

“We were never notified by SAC of a deadline or that we even had to do this,” said Father Rob Panke of the Newman Catholic Student Center.
“We never got an e-mail.”

Moss said the SA is available to talk with groups to correct any confusion.

GWPride received a budget cut of $261 from an initial allocation of $1,955.

“When I turned in financial forms in the past, I got notified of my approval through e-mail, but I never received an e-mail to produce a mid-year budget,” said treasurer sophomore Derek Azar.

Moss said all the money reclaimed from groups goes to the co-sponsorship budget that currently stands at $41,000.

The Jewish Student Association was among the 13 groups that received
a funding boost. Moss said the JSA $500 addition came because of “effective use of their original allotment” and many co-sponsored events.
“We were very excited to receive the funds,” said sophomore Jonah Zinn, President of the JSA.

Moss said next year’s budget process should be smoother.

“Next year should be much more efficient,” Moss said. “The online co-sponsorship form will be online on Friday, and other forms such as the midyear budget should be online, too.”