SGA Finance Board 11/18
Call To Order
5:35pm
Roll Call
All members present.
Approval of Minutes
Minutes approved.
Allocations:
Habitat for Humanity: Collegiate Challenge Trip
Trip that takes place over Spring break. We have done this for sever years. 20 volunteers go to Florida to work with an affiliate. Go there on Sunday and during the week work on building houses for people who are currently living in substandard housing. 15 per person program fee and $100 per person site fee. We have to pay for the gas and transportation. Lodging is provided by affiliate. In the past we have requested money for the vans the gas and the site fee.
Questions:
Yasmin: how did you pick your location?
HFH: Went there last year, they have a 4 day work week. Lets people have a day off. Closest to we can get in Florida to here.
Stephanie: what exactly do you do on the trip?
HFH: Build houses for people in substandard recovery housing. A family applies for a house with a certain income bracket, don’t charge interest in mortgage.
Stephanie: How many people usually go?
HFH: 20
Silva: have these 20 people signed up
HFH: Right now have 10
Catherine: if more people wanted to go?
HFH: There is a limit on number for this specific site.
Silva: How are students being informed?
HFH: Sending out emails to our list proc, start putting flyers in the resident’s halls and around campus.
Yasmin: every year you request site and program fee. Usually we don’t fun them. This is because we are a state organization and the fund would be considered charity. That was why we couldn’t fund it last year.
HFH: We can charge a bit more for the volunteers.
HFH: Vans and gasoline? Is there a problem with that?
Yasmin: It is fundable, currently we cannot fully fund off campus events. Is there a way you can do this somewhere closer?
HFH: Typically we’ve gone to Florida before. Are sites are usually south. I don’t now if there are any closer. Registration has already happened-we are stuck with this one.
Yasmin: Your gas quote, did you do mile percentage?
HFH: Yes, 20 miles per gallon for 1800 miles. Quotes for rentals were from enterprise.
Yasmin: how much are your student paying already?
HFH: initially $200. They are usually, providing lunches this time, may be reduced
Discussion:
Harsh: We are just considering $3500
Catherine: Usually volunteers pay $200, but not this year?
Just for lunches, they sill have to provide breakfast and dinner. We could still charge $200 and that would reduce food to $1100
Harsh: how much would each person have to pay?
HFH: $200
Harsh: that would cover site and food?
HFH: Yes
Jake: who is giving you the van rental?
HFH: Enterprise
Jake: Did you know they offer a discount?
HFH: Yes.
Silva: how many van carry?
HFH: 5 people for van with luggage in the back. Can you guys selectively reduce the amount, or would I have to file for that?
Harsh: We can selectively reduce.
Catherine: ask them to pay $250 and then we can cut $1000 from that.
Emily: last year how much did we give?
Yasmin: $2300
Christine: How do you feel about asking volunteers to pay $250 instead of $200?
HFH: I don’t know if that would change things considerably. I guess we would have to do that in order to cover any reduction. We might have to do more fundraising. It is possible.
Christine: How have you fundraised in the past?
HFH: Asked donations at intersections. In spring we have the shantytown under bio building. Also have bake sails.
Christine: You generate a lot of money via funding?
HFH: Trying to put it towards our house. Supposed to pay $25000, we have never paid that in the past. Giving $6000 this year for our house.
Catherine: Personally I don’t think if people are already paying $200 not too much of a deterrence to pay $50 more.
Harsh: What is better to cut?
HFH: The vans, we have gas cards.
Harsh: We just need to decide how much to cut.
Silva: Do you have any other events coming up?
HFH: Just workdays on 22 and 6th.
Silva: That you would request funding for?
HFH: No just this.
Erica: Do you feel (based off of our previous meetings) you have enough info on this t to make decision?
Harsh: what research
Erica: some of research Yasmin will do this weekend. If would help you make a decision.
Catherine: I’m torn about this event. Think it’s a good thing.
Yasmin: We can’t make decision based on cause.
HFH: We need to send in the money a month in advance.
Yasmin: It wont be for more than a week.
HFH: Ok
Yasmin: We can’t base decision on how we feel about org. as a state
Yasmin: Table event. You wont have to come in again next week.
Decision: Event tabled.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi: Hanukkah
$800 for food. Food has to be kosher, very expensive.
Questions:
Harsh: where when?
SAEP: Dec 6, 7 to 10pm skylight room. Free, open to entire campus.
Christine: How many?
SAEP: Skylight room can only hold 140, but we are expecting more. About 200.
Harsh: over the whole night, or at once?
SAEP: Over the whole night.
Silva: What other activities will be at this event?
SAEP: Will be a DJ. Will have a dreidel comp. We asked local businesses for free pizza. Want a raffle. Mothers come and demonstrate how to make flat bread.
Silva: How are you advertising (besides facebook)?
SAEP: Common vision, banner, flyers 8x11. Yasmin told me about SGA free flyers, will do that too.
Emily: what would happen if we didn’t fully fund your event?
SAEP: It wouldn’t be at the scope that we want it to be at. Want it to be a huge event. Trying to attract more traditional Jewish community. If we can get food will help us a lot. Want healthy food.
Catherine what food are you getting?
SAEP: Doughnuts, applesauce, sour cream, etc.
Stephanie: are non-UMBC students allowed?
SAEP: Yes
Stephanie: Are you charging them?
SAEP: Want to make this free. Don’t want to charge.
Silva: How will you let students in? First come first serve?
SAEP: Didn’t want to have wristbands. Someone at the door with a counter.
Yasmin: could think about charging non-students and making carry over money or encourage more students to come out. Guarantee 140 students come instead of non-students.
Discussion:
Emily: a lot of money for number of people attending.
SAEP: Kosher food is very expensive. Shabbat diner is an example of this. Try to keep this in mind when voting.
Yasmin: I worked with JSU and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi, this is a third of the cost of the actual event. It is a little pricy, but will bring out a lot of people.
Silva: I agree with Yasmin. Seem to be putting a lot of work into it.
Stephanie: Can you charge non-UMBC students? Accumulate money and save in carryover for future
SAEP: If you give us the money, that’s fine. We can charge if you want.
Stephanie: Where not telling you to, just trying to give you option
Yasmin: Our concern is only UMBC students. Not fair that Student pays fee, but collage park friend can get into event for free.
SAEP: We will charge for off campus, will hopefully help student.
Silva: As long as they’re checking red cards and charging non-UMBC students event should be ok.
Yasmin: Does anyone have an issue about this event being on the same night as gospel choir after we gave them $2500?
Silva: Events will be for different crowds.
Yasmin: This is something to pay attention to – spending so much in one night.
Catherine: Don’t find if fair to not fund the second org- just because one came first
Yasmin: Did you confirm skylight lounge?
SAEP: Yes.
Gospel choir also asked for skylight lounge. Wanted to make sure you have technically reserved it. They (Gospel Choir) may have dropped out when we tabled event.
Decision: Members For: 4, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 0
Modeling Club: Magazine
Want to start a magazine. Have a mock up of what it would look like. This is a way to attract more students to our club. Our pres. wants photo shoots and consistent trope. This will help keep the costs down. Have not been able to do consistent photo shoots this semester. Have meetings every other Thurs. Had trainers/ photographers/ makeup artists come in. Will be free, hoping to print about 500 copies.
Questions:
Yasmin: how will you decide who get the copies?
MC: We will distribute them. Just walking around and handing them out to people
Emily: have you advertised before?
MC: We have done involvement fest, posted flyers for each of the meetings we’ve had.
Discussion:
Stefan: How many copies of Bartleby are distributed?
Yasmin: 3000. Pictures cost more. I think it’s a good use of the money. To get newer org. off feet
Erica: This event was tabled from last time?
Yes.
Yasmin: They have never requested money before.
This issue will have info on photographers.
Yasmin: may encourage photographers to join club and take photos for free.
Siva move to vote
Stefan second
Decision: Members For: 4, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 0
BSU: Appreciation Lunch
Want to have a lunch for members who have been coming to meetings. Instead of these people using a meal. Not like a regular meeting. Have provided drinks and cups, just need the pizza. Advertising through facebook and email especially for people coming to meetings. Not just going to be for people who come to meetings on irregular schedule. Based off number of meetings they attend. Must be 3 consecutive members
Questions:
Yasmin: We are not fully funding off campus events and food at just meetings. Could add up this money and have a bigger event. This finance board not funding food at just meetings. Trying to encourage use of carryover amongst orgs.
BSU: So if we were to cancel meeting, and have pizza party event- would that count?
Silva: Must be something more than just food.
BSU: Definitely, more of relaxed setting that just regular meetings. We have discussions about issues relevant to African American community. Our meetings are catered towards the events that we have. I understand what you guys are saying.
Yasmin: a lot of orgs- for us to fund lunches for each is really draining. We can’t do it. It’s a situation where we can find an event beneficial but we just can’t afford it. Its unfortunate, I would be frustrated and I understand if you are.
Discussion: N/A
Decision: Members For: 0, Opposed: 3, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 1
JSU:
Same event with three different themes, probably wont have one this week, too late for funding. One is relaxation theme, the other is Hollywood. We can flip the theme. For now the Hollywood one is canceled. Every Friday JSU has a Shabbat. Encourage everyone to show up, eat food have fun. Everything is free for anyone who shows up.
Topsy Turvy Shabbat
Questions:
Catherine: Is this something you are planning on doing every week?
JSU: Ask you guys for money?
Catherine: Yes
JSU: Not every one. Two big events in the spring, may ask SGA. We didn’t get money for big event this semester, so ask for money for smaller events.
Yasmin: Will this be an informational event, or will it just be for fun?
JSU: Prayers, not required to go. Could just come and eat.
Silva: Without our funding how did you have these events in the past?
JSU: Had funding form the associated. We are on a tight budget and we are a bit over right not hoping for funding from SGA
Yasmin: we are also in a financial crisis. We have a lot more orgs this year and the money we have the same for three years. Looking to increase student activity fee. Be looking out for that in the future. We hope to get your support.
Silva: why $12 per person?
JSU: That’s how much caters charge
Silva: No way to cut?
JSU: No. That’s how much they charge for two appetizers a chicken dish, two side dishes and desert
Discussion:
Catherine: People can just come for food and leave.
Stefan: informational part not mandatory. Can’t say it’s going to be a giveaway, but can’t say it isn’t.
JSU: From experience, not many people just show up to eat and leave.
Catherine: How may come for prayer?
JSU: 10-30 and they normally stay for the dinner.
Silva: Your providing food for 30, what happens if more come?
JSU: Usually the food for 30 feeds 50. I can see by the RSVPs how much to order.
Catherine: If only 10 people are coming for prayer, is that like a free dinner.
Emily: I see this as a meeting.
Yasmin: I wouldn’t call it a meeting.
Harsh: I’m concerned people will come just for dinner.
Silva: How are you advertising?
Facebook, my UMBC page
Jake: I get an invitation to Shabbat every week. They are consistent about getting the word out.
Harsh: I think it has a good point, for the relaxation. My only concern is free dinner issue.
Catherine: Would be more comfortable if more people came to the prayer.
JSU: If I could provide you exact numbers, would that help your decision?
Catherine: You want to get the numbers first?
JSU: That’s not possible.
Catherine: If you ask for money in the future that would help.
Emily: is there a reason you can’t just provide snacks?
JSU: Jewish tradition. Big celebration. Weekly dinner. It has to be a meal.
Try to serve chicken every week
Yasmin: fine with the 12/12, good time. I would encourage you to do an informative piece for someone who isn’t very familiar with JSU and Shabbat.
JSU: Like in advertising?
Yasmin: Yes. Just a suggestion. So event becomes better known.
Vote on 12/12
Decision: Members For: 4, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 0
Hollywood Shabbat
Canceled due to deadline issues.
Board Game Shabbat
Questions/ Discussion:
Board game?
Silva: You said you ad bigger event in spring. For now since we are so low on money, could contribute to your bigger event in the spring. Hopefully we will have more money then.
Yasmin: We can afford the one event, but not the two.
Harsh: would you like to withdraw?
JSU: Ok.
Harsh: We will keep this in mind for the future. When and where?
JSU: Inter faith center starts at 6pm.
Decision: Event withdrawn.
Campus Involvement Card (presented by Jake and James)
Jake: At retreat discussed ways to get more students to campus events. Research ways to improve student live via campus rewards card. Worked it out so that students no longer have to sign up to anything they just have to go to the event. Swipe card. Receive point entitles them to reward bracket. Just use you red card. First prize will send to the students, something small. That is their key to get prizes throughout the year. Will accumulate points by going to events and will become eligible for bigger and bigger prizes. As you get up to higher levels you become eligible for raffles for bigger prizes. Want to set up a system where orgs can sign up to be part of this program.
Harsh: swipe machines at every event?
Jake: The swipe machines have been provided by campus card services. Also have remote machines, wireless for events all around campus. Campus card services have been looking for a way to prove attendance at events. Will know a definite number for event.
Stephanie: What about people who come to events just for points?
James: Points are less direct then getting an actual reward. You will be getting points that you can use to a reward.
Jake: They might decide to stay for event. Will at least attend for at least a certain amount of time.
Questions:
Harsh: questions about involvement card?
Jake: more details. Significant expenditure. Just under $5000. We have commitments saying orgs will put money into this. Got commitment from RSA, Athletic department, Card services. Card services put in a lot of money for this. Putting themselves on the line by letting us use their equipment.
Catherine: t-shirts?
Not funding t-shirts. Its being changed from t-shirts to prizes, we need to amend that.
Jake: we can pressure orgs buy t-shirts.
Silva: bottle opener keychain?
Jake: Looking for something functional to students. Good platform for rewards logo. Within price range. Mailable. Cool color laser engraved
Yasmin: It’s a big amount, not ready to be spent right now. Good bargaining tool with athletics.
Jake: When you guys Allocate money goes the student org account. Stays in the general ledger. This is the maximum amount we would contribute as student government. This money will not be spent imminently. It says how much you are willing to put towards it. Other orgs will put certain amounts towards project.
Emily: why so much on advertising?
For people who are good at it (advertising), is 20% of budget for a project.
James: Wanted it to reach out for entire campus. Want this to be a big deal.
Jake: $300 for hard advertisement. People don’t pay attention to paper flyers anymore because they are everywhere. First swipe is advertisement for us.
Stephanie: Has this been implemented at other schools?
Jake: yes: at Ohio State for example. Schools like this are saying it has an increase in school spirit.
Silva: “triangle things” are called table tents.
Decision: Members For: 3, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 1
Recess 6:58-7:02pm
Not Attending
Bartleby: Publication Deposit
Discussion: N/A
Decision: Members For: 3, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 1
Bioethics Student Association: World AIDS Day
Discussion:
Silva: too much for advertisement
Yasmin: $100 is good for a whole week.
Yasmin: And then they can use free flyers.
Silva: are posters that much?
Total amount is $140
Are they allowed to use candles?
Yasmin: Candles must be covered.
Decision: Members For: 3, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 1
Pre Med Society: Medical Movie Night
Discussion:
Yasmin: I did research; library doesn’t have full copyright so we need to purchase it. This is the only thing they request funding for this year.
Catherine: If we purchase copyright, would we have it forever?
Erica: No, copyright is purchased for one time use. You are buying license to show it.
Decision: Members For: 3, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 1
HAPP: End of Semester Event
Discussion: N/A
Decision: no advertisement, event is not open to all students. Seems to be only for members of the department. Members For: 0, Opposed: 3, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 1
Korean Campus Ministry: Thanksgiving Dinner
Emily I can answer questions on behalf of KCM.
Questions:
Harsh: What kind of food will there be?
Emily: Just regular thanksgiving food
Harsh: Will there be prayer?
Emily: Yes. Event is at 7pm, in UC room. The request is so late because they filled out the wrong form.
Yasmin: I just found it.
Silva: if this is next week, do we know they have the space reserved?
Yasmin: It is tentatively reserved –finalized if we pass it.
Discussion:
Erica: is there a program that goes with this? Is this giving out food?
Emily: having prayer and inviting others. Extending to other schools. Sending out message of Christianity. Trying to invite other Christian clubs here.
Harsh move to vote.
Yasmin second.
Decision: Members For: 3, Opposed: 0, Abstaining: 1, Absent: 1
Post Meeting Discussion:
Emails:
Catherine: Pre Med Society
Christine: Modeling Club, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi
Emily: Korean Campus Ministry
Harsh: JSU, HAPP
Silva: BSU
Stefan: Bartleby
Stephanie: Bio ethics
Yasmin: Habitat for Humanity
Roll Call
All members present except for Christine (left early at 6:44pm)
Adjournment
7:14pm