IMPLICATIONS: Groups Compete for Finite Funding Allocations

The funding system for Columbia's student groups can look like a bureaucratic maze, but hundreds of students navigate it every year to receive resources for clubs ranging from rock-climbing to Republicans.

Every semester, students in each of the University's four undergraduate schools pay a student life fee. The money from that fee is assigned to the student councils for the four schools which then goes into funding the various clubs.

The process is complicated, with actors throughout the University weighing in and making decisions that directly affect what student groups are able to accomplish and the services they can provide to the student community. Every year student groups are created, disappear, and deal with funding issues. One of the ways in which they work around this is by co-sponsoring events with other groups. This allows them to go to the various governing boards and request more funds from an additional account allocated specifically for co-sponsored events.

In the spring, student groups begin the process to determine funding by submitting applications to the governing boards detailing their financial needs for the upcoming year. Each board then uses those applications to compile their own yearly budgets, which are presented to the four student councils and dole out funding to each individual governing board from their portion of the student life fees.

During a two-day process called "Funding at Columbia University" in which the student councils divide their student life fees between the boards, each board presents its proposed budgets for the coming year. The student councils then take into consideration factors including previous spending levels and sizes. After each board receives its allocation, it distributes its funding to the groups under its control.

Somewhat apart from this process is the Barnard Student Government Association which only contributes to the funding of the Student Governing Board and Community Impact and provides a donation to club sports. The SGA also oversees student groups for the Barnard Community.

The Activities Board at Columbia

After the funding process is complete, the 20-member board of ABC begins the allocation process for its student groups.

Within ABC there exist both Category A and Category B clubs, each of which have different criteria for applying for funding. Category A clubs must appeal for funding for each event they hold and can do so for up to $250 per semester. Category B clubs can appeal for an unlimited amount of money, provided the club goes through the proper procedures.

"The entire process is just frustrating and stifling. It just seems like there are so many caveats and loopholes to hide behind and exploit. People know more than you and you just feel like you're getting hoodwinked," said Blue and White Editor-in-Chief emeritus Avi Zenilman, CC '07.

In the past, the clubs that have received the largest funding from ABC are publications like the Blue and White, which received $12,000 for the 2005-2006 school year.

"It's impossible for it not to be subjective, but our goal is to make it as clear and concise as possible," said Keith Hernandez, CC '07 and president of the ABC Executive Board.

Student Governing Board

The application for SGB groups is similar to ABC's and the two share the same transparency issues.

"If we gave all the groups exactly what they asked for, our budget would be something like $400,000," said Jessie Leiken, CC '08 and SGB representative at large, noting that the total allocation for SGB groups this year was $139,000. "We try to give the groups as close to what they ask for as possible given the fact that we have 70 funded groups and we have to please everybody."

Groups need to demonstrate in the application process what they have done with funds in the past, what they are hoping to do in the future, how many members they have and the students that their group serves.

Club Sports

The club sports governing board functions in much the same way with student leaders deciding what each club receives based on a proposal submitted in the spring.

When considering a sport's allocation, the board takes into account not only past spending but also what each sport contributes to its own budget through required membership dues, fundraising, and, in some cases, alumni donations.

One of the funding issues that some club sports have complained about is that as they qualify for tournaments, their financial needs can change mid-season. There is a provision for clubs going to national competitions to request additional funds, but it's not always enough.

Sasha De La Cruz, CC '08 and junior captain of the Women's Ultimate Frisbee team, said there is an issue with not being able to participate in enough tournaments to get all of their rookies adequate playing time.

"We usually don't have enough money and go over the budget," De La Cruz said, but "there are no consequences if you go over. They always threaten us [with a reduction in funding]. I don't think they've ever taken away funding from a club."

Community Impact

Community Impact oversees groups committed to community service and receives a fourth of its $1 million budget from the University with fundraising and other efforts accounting for the rest.