Individual allocations were smaller this year than last because there was an increase in student groups requesting funding and a decrease in available funds, said Speaker Mark Townsend. Congress had $195,000 to allocate.
Townsend said less funds were available because part of the funds that normally would be intended for next year will have to pay off the debt from this year's Congress. The debt is a result of last year's Congress overestimating available funds for this year and thus overbudgeting student activity funds.
Finance Committee Chairman Tony Larson said Congress cut religious groups' programming requests by about two-thirds because Title V of the Student Code prevents Congress from allocating student funds to spiritual exercises.
Larson said groups can approach Congress for additional funds if they have plans for programs not related to worship.
Student publications' budget requests also were cut in half across the board. Larson said publications should try to raise money on their own but that if they cannot, they can ask for additional funding in the future. "We don't want to shut anyone down, but we can't fund them all fully and still be fair to other groups," he said.
Larson said funds were cut across the board to prevent Congress from having to make value judgements about the publications. "There are a lot of student publications out there," Larson said. "We don't want to get into censorship or making editorial decisions."
Larson said it is not unusual for a group to receive less funding this year. "When you look at the budget, not too many groups got more money, or even the same amount of money as last year."
Congress members also tried to lower the total budget by cutting requests for speaker fees when groups did not have firm plans for speakers or dates, Larson said. He said groups can approach Congress for added funds when they have more concrete plans.
He said Congress used this tactic last year and that a number of groups asked for -- and received -- additional funding. Larson said there is no guarantee that groups will receive subsequent funding but that he anticipates Congress will have an additional $15,000 to $20,000 to hand out each semester next year.
Groups that requested money but did not attend budget weekend must appear before full Congress at its two remaining meetings this year or they will not receive funding, Townsend said.
Larson also said that even if Congress had the money to fully fund all requests, it would not necessarily be a good idea to do so. He explained that some groups would not be able to use all the money and that it eventually would be reverted to Congress anyway. "We don't ever lose money if we don't give it out," he said. "Groups can always request money later when they have more detailed proposals."
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