Finance Board Minutes
September 18, 2007
5:41pm- meeting called to order
Present:
Ozell, David, Christine, …..
FASA Networking Dialogue:
Tell us about your organization:
Under an umbrella organization. Every fall and spring we go to a
conference with other colleges where w listen to speakers and learn about
Filipino awareness. This fall, conference is at Virginia Tech.
Are you fitting 30 ppl in 3 rooms?
That’s an estimate, we’ll probably have less. If all show up we’ll pitch
in to pay the rest of the cost.
Transportation, are you going to drive down in cars?
Yes, we’re estimating it will be 25 miles per gallon, and to go 300 miles
away, a total of 600 miles both ways, and with 6 cars going(30 ppl show
up) it will be about 500.
Are you using any carryover funds for this?
Yes, we’re asking ppl to pay out of their pockets $35($25 for late
registration, added $10 extra) for the registration, hotel reservation,
and we’ll use our carryover to pay the rest.
Is this open to all students or just ppl in your club?
We advertise for it and we do sometimes get ppl from outside the club.
This isn’t going to cover all 30 ppl, ur going to chip in?
Yes we’ll use our carryover, the money we charge and what we chip in.
Do you have an exact number from carryover?
We have about $2300. We use carryover to book the hotels, which we will
reimburse with the money we get.
Do you know which hotel you’ll be in?
Yes the Hawthorne suites. We have to go to one of 3 hotels and the other 2
were all booked. We had to book the hotel rooms a couple weeks before we
had our first meeting so we had to estimate how many ppl would be
attending. We underestimated so only booked 2 hotel rooms. We may have to
book more.
What parts of your requests are most important to you?
The hotel is first, then the transportation, and then thhe registration.
What alternative funding will you use if you don’t get all the money you
want?
We have fundraisers planned as well as our personal money.
Are they providing food?
No, we have to pay for that ourselves, we’ll just find a Mcdonalds or
something.
Thank You
Arab Student Union 1001 Arabian Nights:
Tell us something about it:
Its our event for the year. It basically brings all the Arab students on
campus together and includes Arabian music, food, culture, etc.
Where is this being held?
This year it will be in the UC ballroom, doors open at 9pm and goes on
till 1:30am.
Are you charging admission?
At the door its __________
ASU:The only question we had was can we bump our costume request to $400
from $100. We are getting food from Sodexho.
Are the costumes only for this event or will they be reused?
They will be reused.
Is this your biggest event of the year?
Yes it is.
Is this a fundraiser at all?
The ASU hasn’t come up with a definite cause we want to donate to but
whatever we do make after we cover our costs, we will send it to our cost.
The thing is, we are a new group and we haven’t had numbers yet. We
havnt had meetings where all our members attend. After involvement fest
we had a definite list but we havnt come up with a certain cause.
What is your marketing strategy?
We’re using common visions new market plans. We talked to them and talked
about printing. We have ASU’s at College Park and Georgetown and they
will tlak to their students.
Is this targeted towards UMBC students or outside?
Mainly UMBC, we’re not that interested with outside students.
Is the food quote from Sodexho?
Yes, but we haven’t sat down with them yet.
Are you using any carryover?
We’re using some of it. We have a lecture tonight that is not connected
for which we are using carryover.
How many ppl are you expecting?
About a 115-200. Last year we had about a 100, so with advertising this
year we’re expecting more. This year we had more time to organize.
What parts of this event in terms of funding are most important to you?
Food definitely, and also music(audio visual/room setup as well),
marketing and then security.
What security will you have?
So far we have 4 student marshalls, but we’ll have to sit down with them
to see how many ppl they request we shud have on security.
How many costumes do you plan to get?
It depends, we’re still in the planning phase, it depends on how many
actual events we’re going to have within the night.
And the $400 is an estimate and are you buying the costumes from some
company or having them made?
We wanted to buy them because renting was the same price.
You’ll use the proceeds for a cause?
Yes 70%. Once we actually get our members to the meeting we’ll have to
vote on which cause.
Are you doing any fundraising for your organization?
Yes, we’re still in the whole process of figuring out who our members are,
we don’t have a specific event yet but we hahve on our agenda 2 events
outside the commons. We were going to have a fundraising event with the
mosaic center but we don’t know if that’s going to work out. All this
planning is a lot of work for the 4 definite members of our club, so
hopefully once we get some members, it will get better.
Do you hope this event will attract interest to your organization?
Yes definitely, initially there was talk that this group would be a
political group but its not, its just a cultural group to promote the good
part of our culture, rather than the bad media and political aspects.
For this event would it be better not to charge admission?
We cant afford not to charge as its for a cause and it is almost a
fundraiser for ppl to have fun.
Well by setting it up that way aren’t you asking for money from a student
activity fee to donate to a cause, isn’t that the same as asking for SGA
money for an outside cause?
It’s a good point, im not going to say its not, but we’re paying this
money to create events where other groups on campus are raising money for
their events. I think we should be able to charge, its not mandatory to
attend.
What cause are you talking about?
A charity or a cause that the whole community benefits from.
SGA has usually given money to fund organizations on campus to fund their
work for causes but it cant give money if it will be given to an outside
cause:
SGA can help you create an event where students can go for free:
Well we do have events for this, we have a Ramadan event, and we are going
to use our money from 1001 Arabian Nights for other on campus events, but
that will be the only time we’re asking for money. Plus we’re printing
tickets which costs money.
Right now its $1994 with $400 for costumes, are there any other costs,
will you need to put in your own money. We’ll have no money paying for the
event and students not pay anything, but you cant use it for outside
causes. You can charge a small admission fee to use for other events
however.
We can change the fee amounts. That will make it easier on us later.
Admission will be $5 at the front desk and $7 at the front door then I
guess.
And if not everything is funded then what are your alternatives?
Well we’ll be selling tickets so everything we get from tickets will be
used to pay. If we don’t get the funding we’ll cut back on costs but if
we get funded for it we might as well use it.
We see from last year that you spent all of the money we gave you?
We spent $805 and the rest we took from carryover.
Thank You
NAACP’s Poetry Jam Fundraiser:
Tell us about your fundraiser?
Basically what we wanted to do was have a poetry jam and all the money
from that would go towards a _____ fund. It will be an open mic night,
anyone can come and speak. We’ll charge at the door. It will be 250 seats.
Where is it taking place?
The UC.
Is this for a charity?
Its more of an awareness mission. Some of the money will go back into the
event. We’re trying to have a number of performers to come to the school
for which we’ll pay for.
Do you have a set admission?
We don’t have one now, but itll probably be around $8. A lot of it will
depend upon whether we can get a radio station can come and help us out.
Where is the revenue going?
Some of it will go back into this, if theres money left over it will be
left toward the Geno6.
How will you advertise?
Fliers and tickets. We also have our own ads for example we have tshirts
which we already have.
If you are successful in getting the radio station do you expect admission
costs to go down, is it open to non umbc students?
We are open to non UMBC students but we don’t expect ticket prices to go
down.
What role is the radio station playing?
They will be promoting it over the radio waves.
Is this event geared toward UMBC students?
Yes definitely but open to others as well.
Will you charge non UMBC students more?
We’rent planning on it but if that will help then we wouldn’t mind.
Whats included in the security budget and why?
The safe committee said just one student marshall for 4 hours. They said
for a seated event they don’t need more.
Shouldn’t you have more? This is a very controversial issue and you’ll
have ppl against the cause.
If we were to request for more security would you mind if we made an
amendment to our security quote and ask for more? Should we have 3
security guards?
That’s upto the safe committee to decide.
We can go back and check with them to see if we’ll get more security.
What does the A/V cover?
That is the sound system, and for the mics, stereo and speakers. We have
to pay someone for the technical aspects. We requested DJ Karaoke Sound.
Any other questions?
What parts of this event in terms of funding are most important?
Probably A/V as it is poetry jam and ppl being heard is very important.
Secondly security.
Alternatives to funding?
We’ll just take it from the admission.
We cant fund toward charity events, so as an alternative if you were to
get full funding, instead of charging admission could you have an optional
donation?
Yes we were thinking about that.
Could you make a decision about that now so that we can use it for our
decision?
Yes, but a lot of our admission costs will go into paying off other things
such as the outside performers. We had three poets in mind: a soul band
from DC, and two other performers. Some of the money will pay for their
costs, but we don’t want the SGA to pay for that so we’re paying for it
ourselves. Admission isn’t determined yet as we don’t know how many ppl
we’re expecting.
Thank you.
Delta Sigma Theta’s Dessert with the Delta’s:
Can you tell us about it?
Yes it’s a fun event for the campus, we have food and dessert. Theres no
real point, its just an annual event we have.
Is this advertised as a Rush event?
No it is not, its not advertised as that. We don’t have Rush.
How do you get membership then?
We look at individual candidates and evaluate them on an individual basis.
Theres no group recruitment. We’ll have an interest meeting when we want
ppl.
When do you have that?It would be encouraged that you don’t have that
event during your dessert event.
Its not a set week. We wont do it the same week.
Costs?
We’ll be splitting costs between SGA money and our own money.
Where is this taking place?
IN the skylight room.
How does this correlate to your mission statement?
It doesn’t really, its just an open event for everyone to have fun.
What kind of desserts will you have?
Cake, ice cream, pie, anything we can get within $80.
How many ppl are you expecting?
Usually we get 30 ppl.
How many are members of the organization?
We only have 3 members and they will be there.
Are these the cheapest quotes you can get for desserts?
Yes, we’ll order them in bulk.
Technically if you have less than 5 members, then you are not SGA recognized.
Well we have five but only 3 are very involved.
Whats the purpose of the event?
Fun event for everyone to have fun, eat, play.
Diabetes Awareness Event:
Tell us about the event?
This event is open to the whole campus to educated ppl about diabetes and
its effects. We wanted to make a healthy meal and give ppl the recipe and
have them help us make it and then eat it. Basically to promote diabetes
awareness.It correlates to our mission statement as we focus on mental and
physical health. Both this and our breast cancer event focus on this. We
want to have a doctor or a speaker as well.
Where will it be held?
The cooking will be in a residence hall. The speaking will be in the
commons or lecture hall.
When you say materials for cooking has that been broken down?
No not yet. Its just an estimate.
Do you know what kind of meal it is?
No we do not. Definitely something ealthy, last year we made sugar free
chocolate chip cookies.
How many ppl do you expect?
About 30 last year so about the same this year.
Where will you have it?
Last year in Patapsco.
How are you funding this with your carryover?
Fliers, etc we asked for, but everything else will be from our carryover.
Breast Cancer Awareness Events?
Along the same lines. Relates to our mission statement. Open to the
entire campus to educate about breast cancer. We’d like to have a doctor
there to talk about breast cancer screening, and someone who survived
breast cancer.
Where is this event taking place?
Hopefully in the commons, either the skylight room or the Cabaret.
Can we move gifts for speaker to something else as we cannot gift things
to speakers?
Yes
Trick/Treat Community Service?
We have students from the Douglas Home come to trick or treat here.
Whoever wants to participate can. We provide the candy, decorations,
costumes.
So they trick or treat in the residence halls?
Yes, under our supervision we take them to ppl who volunteer. We’ll
decorate their doors and take them personally to the volunteers.
How can the rest of the campus participate?
By being a place where they can trick or treat. At the end we can have a
pizza party not only for the kids but also the students.
How many ppl do you think will participate?
In terms of on campus students about 20 and 20 kids from the Douglas Home.
How involved is the Douglas homoe with you?
We do this every year so they send the kids to us and we do it.
Have you received approval from Res life?
No, we didn’t really do that, we don’t usually do that. We wont actually
be going inside the dorms, mostly the apartments, and if we go in the
dorms just the front party.
Costume costs?
We’ll cover that from our carryover account.
How much from carryover are you putting towards this?
Whatever the costumes cost is we’ll put forward from carryover.
I noticed you had no advertisement?
We don’t really need to advertise to the whole campus, we’ll put it on
facebook.
So you just want volunteers for community service, not students to get
involved.
Yes mainly community service.
It might be better to put fliers around to get the campus involved.
Yes we’ll look into that.
What does decorations and props include?
We’ll probably put pumpkins and scarecrows wherever we have the pizza party.
Are these the cheapest clothes you could find?
Yes
Deliberations:
SGA money is considered state money and cannot be directly given to
charity. Cannot be given to victims of Katrina, etc. Cannot be used for
indirect funding to charity either. The university’s purpose is not to
fund charity.
Are groups allowed to build personal carryover?
Yes they can.
We recognize the American Red Cross on campus, how does that work?
We can fund members for their personal satisfaction, however we cannot pay
for their membership in the Red Cross.
The reality is by funding something for a charity indirectly by creating
an event that allows donations isn’t allowed.
Whats wrong with SGA funding an event where no required fee is required
but members are standing with donation requests.
You are indirectly funding a charity by funding the groups event.
Accounting Club’s Accounting Career Paths:
This is our second year as a club, and our first meetin is tomorrow, and
we’re having someone from the Shriver coming in. We’re requesting funds
for our October meeting which is about different career paths for
accounting and finance majors and we’re having speakers coming in. Its
during free hour and we would like money for pizza, sodas, etc. We wanted
to make pens and other things with our names on it.
How will you promote this event?
In each class we put fliers in the mailboxes of teachers who don’t have
them already. We send out emails through the list proc, anyone who signed
up at involvement fest is oon the list. Last year we had 30-40 ppl come
in.
Where is this taking place?
Hopefully PUP 408.
This is just a one day thing?
Yes, its not a regular thing, just this meeting will be about different
career paths for which we need speakers. It is open to everyone, we’re
advertising in all the economics classes. The speaker is also bringing two
of his ppl.
Were these the cheapest quotes you could get?
Yes it was the cheapest food we could get, the soda cost will include cups
and plates as well.
What are the most important parts of your requests?
The pizza, the gifts and the soda as well as the honorariums.
And you have no money in carryover?
No.
Thank you.
Deliberations:
Nayana: Can you explain your scenario on charity?
This is the difference between the legal issue and what I think is your
responsibility:
Legal: State money cannot be used for anything other than funding student
events, even if its one step between money going in and that coming out.
Therefore a poetry jam is within the purpose of the student activity fee.
But a poetry jam that is being set up for a person with a bucket to
collect money for charity is on the line. A poetry jam for raising
charity money is not legal. The money is meant for the best set of events
for student life.
Jake: The way I would distinguish it is we cant donate to a charity, but
we can pay for charitable work. For example we can pay for students to go
to New Orleans and do charitable work. If your funding the poetry jam
youre funding the students to do charitable work. I also agree that it is
a grey line if theyre putting on an event we’re funding for which theyre
charging admission to give to charity. If theyre putting on an event you
can get into where at the entrance is a donation box, that’s fine.
Igor: I think the poetry jam is definitely toward the mission statement
of the club and will involve students, but theyre not encouraged to
directly donate. If its not on the fliers and the speakers don’t
encourage you to donate then there isn’t anything wrong with that.
Equestrian Club:
Tell us about the Washington International:
It’s a horse show which takes place in Washington DC. It’s a lot of fun
for a new ppl to go out together and get to know eachother.
How many ppl are you expecting?
We have asked for 10 tickets, we have 6-7 ppl going now, and anyone in or
out of the club can come.
If you have more than 10 ppl will you just split the remaining costs?
Yes?
Do you have any carryover?
Yes.
Is any going toward this event?
No
How do you plan to advertise?
We plan to have meetings in our club and talk about spreading the word.
What parts of this event are most important to you in terms of the budget?
The ticket price probably.
The Fair Hill International:
It’s a cross country event so it will be all day.
Will you use any carryover?
No
Are these your two big events of the year or are you expecting more?
These are our biggest and have taken place every year, if more come up
we’ll try to go.
So these are your top priority?
Yes
How many ppl going to this event?
About 10 tickets as I asked for.
Last year you were given $625 but you spent on $66. What happened?
Last years treasurer didn’t leave any notes and I came here unprepared so
I don’t know exactly.
Thank You
Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue:
Is there a certain total below which we shouldn’t consider?
No we can choose what the cutoff is.
Totals: 50-52
Are we allowed to fund gas money?
Yes, its cheaper than flying or taking a bus.
Ozell: All our figures should reflect that only 8 ppl are guaranteed hotel
rooms.
Nayana: Do we want to fully fund hotel rooms as well? To benefit 8 ppl is
$600 worth it? I think we should cut hotel rooms to $200.
Joy: Id rather not just cut down because its too much and they don’t do it
and have the money come back. Id rather they just use it for their event.
Nayana: Would you allow that much money for every club that asks for this
much money for only 8 ppl?
Ozell: What I fear is that say a group has 10 members and say its open to
UMBC, then so many groups will want money for a few members to benefit
from trips. They could say because this event is part of our mission
statement we should get the money.
Joy: So do you feel like cutting the hotel rooms down?
Jake: We just need to be consistent with the funding, they could be
expecting 30 ppl.
Nayana: They put 30 ppl here but only booked for 8 ppl. I don’t think it
was well planned out.
Was the hotel a requirement? Or could they choose where they stayed?
Yes they said they have to be in one of these hotels.
It sounds like you want to fund the event but youre uncomfortable giving
this much money to so few ppl.
Nayana: Maybe we should talk to them again. It sounded like they were
going on a fun trip that didn’t benefit anyone outside the 8 ppl going. We
should call the club president.
What questions are we going to ask him?
What exactly are they going to be bringing back to the campus from this
convention?
Voting on $904 for FASA:
For: 4
Opposed: 0
Abstaining:1
Absent:1
ASU (1001 Arabian Nights):
They seem to be charging to donate to charity.
Jake: Just let their event fund itself.
Nayana: We don’t want money to go into their carryover?
Why does the finance board want to give money to clubs for their carryover?
This seems like an event you can fund fully but not charge for admission.
David: So we can fund an event fully and let them charge admission only if
the money from admission is toward the event’s costs.
We always encourage organizations to fund their own events after we give
them money. If you help them build carryover then they don’t have to keep
coming back to SGA for money.
If theyre turning SGA’s money into cash that they can use for their own
purposes then that’s a problem.
They didn’t know they couldn’t give money to charity or that they could
keep money in their carryover.
You should invite them back next week and let them know this and convince
them not to charge admission.
Joy: I mean either way they could still, say theyre going to fund this and
then not use it but keep it.
You can control that. They’ll have to get permission to reallocate any
money as the money comes back to you.
Ozell: Should we cut it down by $500 so that they cant profit of this
event, and let them know why they cant fun charity. My recommendation
would be to just table this and let them know as they still have some time
before their event.
Also they should be asked to be more detailed about costumes, etc.
They should be focused on the admission charge and either charge less or
keep their current prices and get less from the SGA.
Tabled.
NAACP:
Track Record: given $790, spent $157. Were given $75.
Ozell(NAACP member, does not have to abstain): I didn’t know we had so
much money in our account but some of it will definitely go towards the
event. Admission will only be charged for the outside performers.The
admission money will not be donated towards the fund. Also, you can also
cut the cost for the setup which can be covered by the carryover.
Total: 85
May I remind the board of the Security issue?
David: If they need more money for security they can just come back.
Voting on $363
For: 3
Opposed:0
Abstaining:2
Absent:1
Delta Sigma Dessert:
Christine: No point, she just wanted to have fun.
Jake: She answered the question badly but she did say that 30 ppl would
come and only 3 would be in the club.
Nayana: One big issue was that she said she only had 3 members but then
modified it to say she had 5. I think we should look into that issue.
What constitutes a Rush Event?
Promoting to get members for an exclusive group.
David: Whats the mission of the organization, is it to provide dessert?
Voting on $125 for dessert with the Deltas:
For:0
Against:4
Abstaining:1
Absent:1
Diabetes Awareness Event:
Score: 51
Voting on $180:
For: 4
Opposed: 0
Abstaining: 1
Absent:1
Breast Cancer Awareness:
David: No speakers have been invited to this event yet.
Ozell: they didn’t say which speakers were coming, and $150 for gifts is a
bit much.
Joy: Cut out speakers?
Ozell: Cut out speakers and stick with advertising.
Jake: Whats the point in the event then, the speakers are important.
Ozell: They didn’t even know who was coming, in terms of speakers or
students.
They should be prepared before they come to us.
Igor: Why do they need $80 for fliers, and their events are 1 day apart,
why don’t they just consolidate the events.
Joy: Vote on full amount or cut out speakers and keep fliers?
Igor: The accounting club only wants $10 for gifts.
$80 is a lot for fliers as well.
Igor: the events are 2 days apart, they can just put both on one flier.
Voting on $230:
For: 0
Opposed: 4
Abstaining: 1
Absent:1
Failed
Douglas Home Trick or treat Community service:
Ozell: I saw the event last year and they were in fact able to go into the
dorms.
David: The expenditures for this event for everything other than the pizza
is a charity event, not to mention the liability issues.
I don’t really see it as a charity, its volunteer work we’re funding, not
the actual charity.
Ozell: I don’t feel comfortable giving them candy, if the kid gets sick
then we’ll be in trouble.
If all this were to be done right according to res life etc, what will be
funding?
The pizza and the decorations.
Ozell: we can recommend to them to talk to Res Life.
It’s a long way away they have time.
David: Even in the situation that youre putting on an event that benefits
the whole campus, youre still recruiting volunteers for a charity.The
student activity cant pay for a charity.
Habitat for Humanity has been funded on the premise that the students get
some satisfaction and enrichment out of their volunteering.Handing out
candy isn’t as enriching.
Theres not danger in recommending to the group that there is a way to make
this great for the campus but why is activity funding required for this?
They can send out messages asking ppl to buy candy and give it to
children. It will then be Res Life’s issue.
Joy: Do we want to fund the event or not, and if we do then do we want to
cut it down?
David: We have a non funded organization asking for funding to help a
charity, yes we have a few students helped but that’s not a good reason.
Cant fund the candy. Youre buying something that goes directly to charity.
David: SGA can provide money for the volunteers for Habitat for Humanity
but cannot buy the wood.
Total: 67
Voting on $245:
For: 0
Against:3
Abstain:2
Absent: 1
Equestrian Club:
Washington International Horse Show:
Towards their mission statement.
But theyre asking for so much now and theyre having more events later.
Make them pay for some of it themselves.
Cutting in Half to $246
Voting:
For: 4
Opposed: 0
Abstaining:1
Absent:0
Fairhill International:
Cut in half to $60
Voting:
For: 4
Opposed: 0
Abstaining: 1
Absent:0
Accounting Club:
Voting on Total: $182.5
For: 3
Against: 0
Abstaining:1
Absent:2