SGAC officials announce co-sponsorship policy

Student Government Appropriations Committee officials announced a co-sponsorship clause added to their current guidelines for the spring semester.
Currently, SGA guidelines do not have a clause stating the co-sponsorship policy.

The co-sponsorship policy allows organizations to collaborate an event, activity or project with another organization and request funding as one unit.
SGA treasurer Andrew Barnson said after three months of intensive revisions getting this policy for the University is beneficial.

“It was a big deal because over the summer I went to a conference with other SGA officials,” he said. “I heard the idea of a couple of people talking about giving extra money to some organizations that worked together.

I came back and thought that could really work for our campus. It would promote better communication, interaction and getting organization to work together and coordinate.”

The Student Government Appropriations Committee enhances the quality of student life, benefits the student body and/or betters the University by financially subsidizing activities, events and projects sponsored by registered student organizations, according to their mission statement.

The host organization is granted $625, which is the cap for the student government appropriations committee, followed by an additional $250 for the co-host. The SGAC guidelines state no one organization is allowed to use the total amount of funding.

Barnson said officials plan to begin the policy for the spring semester and the benefits should help organizations around campus. “I see it working on a grand scale of a successful way for organizations to get that extra dime,” Barnson said. “It help it creates more open lines of communication and I think it will give organizations a better way to collaborating together.”

During the hearing, the host and co-host are required to provide an account of responsibilities explaining what each organization intends to do, according to the SGAC guidelines.

SGAC officials are scheduled to evaluate the requesting organizations’ account of responsibilities and hold them responsible for enhancing the quality of student life at the University. The co-sponsorship policy does not allow a host organization to participate in the program more than once a semester.

An organization requesting funding through SGAC is required to register with the Office of Student Life and Leadership prior to receiving a hearing.

They must also be in good standing with the University and funding request must be turned to Barnson at least five business days prior to a scheduled hearing. “We have allocated over $2,500 this semester and we have another $2,500 that we are trying to get out,” Barnson said.

“We want to get some more organizations to come to us and get some money through us.”