Duke Student Government debated Student Organization Finance Committee’s annual budget for next year at its meeting Wednesday.
The Senate discussed the SOFC annual budget for the 2012-2013 academic year and expects to approve the budget next week when it can reach quorum. In total, SOFC allocated $479,535.97 in its annual budget, a $24,597.13 decrease from the 2011-2012 budget. The annual SOFC budget funds capital expenditures and major events that require early planning for chartered student groups. SOFC’s programming fund covers smaller-scale events during the year that are not accounted for in the annual budget.
Most of the 50 groups that applied for funding were sufficiently satisfied with their allocations in the proposed budget. SOFC only received two group appeals for additional funds, which were from the Black Student Alliance and United InnoWorks Academy, a student-run science and engineering initiative for middle school students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“The fact that we only had two appeals shows that groups really received the funds that they most wanted,” said SOFC President Amy Li, a senior.
BSA requested $10,000 to bring civil rights activist Cornel West for a speaker event next year along with other capital expenditures that totaled $16,385 after the appeal was approved. The total was a significant increase from the $1,320 allocated to the group last year.
“It’s not unusual for budgets to go up and down from year to year,” Li said. “This year, [BSA’s] budget was more organized, and we found more things that we thought would be worth allocating for.”
InnoWorks also appealed to SOFC after receiving its initial allocation funds. SOFC originally hesitated providing extensive funds for the group because they seemed selective with an application process, Li said.
“But we found out afterwards that they had never declined anyone and that the only constraining factor was the amount of money they had for housing and materials,” Li said.
Now with a total of $1,500, InnoWorks can provide the necessary housing and materials for campers without having to reject any applicants.
In other business:
DSG discussed Senate and executive bylaw amendments, which are also expected to be approved with quorum next week. The amendments strike the president pro-tempore’s current responsibility to report to the executive vice president and require that he or she work with the executive vice president to enforce senators’ weekly attendance.
The Senate also approved a statute proposed by President Pete Schork, a senior, that calls for a more deliberate and collaborative effort between DSG and The Chanticleer, Duke’s yearbook. Under the proposed SOFC budget for next year, The Chanticleer will receive $108,180.
“It is the highest funded student organization, yet its last minute dialogue always proves to be inefficient,” Schork said.
Correction: The article now reflects the correct difference between last year's and this year's budget. This year's budget is $479,535.97, and it was $504,133.10 in 2011-2012.
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