Student organizations face reduced, denied budgets
Scarlet & Black 2024-10-14
Leaders of student organizations on campus have voiced disappointment with Student Involvement and the Student Government Association (SGA) in this year’s Registered Student Organization (RSO) application and budget approval process.
Students cited examples of reduced budget allocations, poor communication about policy changes and bureaucratic procedures that have left organizations unsure about their next steps. Many clubs said they received many thousands less in funding than they received in previous years, with some clubs saying they received no funding at all. SGA and Student Involvement said a portion of these situations arose from clubs misunderstanding funding policies.
Last year, the RSO budgeting process saw an overhaul where, instead of a first-come-first-serve basis, RSOs submitted annual budget requests in addition to event-specific budgets closer to the dates of their individual events. SGA 2023-24 treasurer Nam Do `25 said this change had helped the Treasury balance overall spending throughout the year, and that he had also added policies to increase the flexibility with which RSOs could travel off-campus and complete the training required to be an approved organization.
This year, SGA has $172,000 to allocate to RSOs, according to an email from Associate Director of Student Involvement Ashley Adams to The S&B.
Jacob Lester `25, treasurer of the Student Government Association. (Rihaan Bhansali)According to SGA 2024-25 Treasurer Jacob Lester `25, however, new changes instituted this year mean RSOs can no longer seek funding for off-campus travel beyond competitions, study breaks, which are now only funded for Student Educational Policy Committees (SEPCs) and Harris and Gardner events, which are now funded by the all-campus budget instead for a maximum of $500 per event.
“As a general policy, we’re trying to bring as much to Grinnell’s campus as possible,” he said, adding that the SGA Financial Board — which, according to Adams, consists of the treasurers, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion chair, the SEPC coordinator and students-at-large — works with Student Development to make allocations and policies as seen fit. “If further changes are made, it’s our goal to communicate them as clearly and with as much notice as possible.”
I wish everyone got the same amount of money they more or less requested.
— Gabriela Rożnawska, president of Polish Student Association
Despite this, Grace Cuddihy `26, president of the Grinnell College Birding Club, said they had only been told after annual budgets were submitted that “no SGA student activity money was going towards off-campus events.”
“It was a little surprising for us and frustrating,” Cuddihy said. “Not being able to do off-campus events at all pretty much defeats the mission and purpose of Birding Club.”
Darya Mohammedzadeh `26, president of the Grinnell College Questbridge Chapter, said her RSO had also ended up with only $300 approved out of the original request of $8,000.
Darya Mohammadzadeh `26, president of the Grinnell College Questbridge Chapter. (Rihaan Bhansali)“We like to do a lot of community building events, like craft nights, breakfasts or s’mores … but in the past, every event we did was about $250 to $300, so for the whole year that would mean we can only do one event,” she said. “I did ask for clarification if it was $3,000 or $300, but I haven’t gotten a response yet.”
On the other hand, there were RSOs that received ample funds. Gabriela Rożnawska `26, president of the Polish Student Association (PSA), said that she had simply filled out the annual budget form according to the instructions, and was allocated $7,140.
“We will be very happy to co-host an event so we can support the other clubs financially,” she said. “I wish everyone got the same amount of money they more or less requested.”
Lester said that one reason why RSOs may be allocated less money was that their budgets did not “align with the policies of the Handbook.” Adams wrote that the Financial Board was responsible for “setting purchasing parameters that take college policies into account while balancing fiscal responsibility with equitable distribution.”
Beyond budgets, RSOs have also faced other challenges. Bella Steward `25, president of Synchronized Swimming, received an email from Student Involvement stating that her organization had been denied for the 2024-25 academic year.
How much of a finger point can they [Student Affairs and Student Government Association] do until it really isn’t our fault?
— Jorge Salinas `26, co-leader of Student Organization of Latines
Huy Nguyen `25 also had his Fine Dining Club proposal rejected due to a misunderstanding in the Constitution on Student Involvement’s end. “We wanted to cook to recreate the fine dining experience, but Student Involvement thought we were a club that goes to fine dining places to eat,” Nguyen.
Lester said that RSOs could be denied due to “a documentational issue, or if they fail to go to training without communication regarding the reason why.” He said that organizations facing issues could talk to Michael Sims, dean of Student Involvement.
Bella Steward `25, president of Synchronized Swimming (Rihaan Bhansali)Steward, however, described a lengthy process that saw her redirected through multiple people. “There was no link to make an interview with [Sims], so I … scheduled a meeting with Student Involvement, but they were like, ‘If you come to this meeting, we can’t really help you,” she said. “I reached out to people whose thing they said it was, and they never responded.”
Meanwhile, Nguyen said that when he spoke to Sims to explain the misunderstanding, Sims said he was unaware there was an issue, because others in Student Involvement were responsible for reviewing applications.
Jorge Salinas `26, co-leader of Student Organisation of Latines (SOL), said that bureaucracy in Student Involvement made it “impossible” for RSOs to host events. “When we come in with questions, the answers are usually coming in too late,” he said. “A lot of times … they’re like, ‘Oh, well, you should have done this.’ How much of a finger point can they do until it really isn’t our fault?”
Cuddihy, however, said they felt that Lester had been committed towards ensuring RSOs were able to function.“ Jacob has been very responsive to our feedback and our concerns, and seems really, genuinely willing to work with us on this issue.”
Lester explained that it was not the SGA’s job to “put a cap on what students want to do,” but that the budget and the amount of time RSOs had in a year to host events were still finite. “Our goal is to try to limit the amount of changes year over year, while also advocating for student needs that come up,” he said. “We are in the process of reaching out to organizations, meeting with them, and asking any questions that we have.”
For Lester, “equitable allocation” is, at its core, the purpose of the Treasury and the Financial Board.
“It’s our job to look at what can and can’t exactly be funded based on the guidelines.”