Collegiate Times

Funding for many student organizations is rising despite the widespread educational budget reductions in the university.

Virginia Tech students currently pay a $162.50 student activity fee each semester that supplies University Union and Student Activities with nearly $1 million to fund all of Tech's clubs and organizations.  

A thorough process takes place through Student Organizations that decides what organizations are granted funding, how much is granted, and for what reasons. For this upcoming year, out of Tech's 719 organizations, very few were not granted funding through the university's budget board.

Of the 74 organizations that requested annual funding, only four were rejected. A total of 96 organizations made requests, including small grant funding. Though most were given some amount of funding, few received the exact amount requested.

"We had 96 organizations request over $1.5 million for annual funding (and small grant) and only $927,705 was able to be given out," said Steve Burrell, assistant director of student organizations.

Among the organizations that receive the most funding, the Black Student Alliance and Virginia Tech Union were the recipients of the greatest financial grants.

"Their mission is to provide quality entertainment, lectures and speakers for the campus community," said Associate Director of Campus Programs Monica Hunter. "Because their sole purpose is to directly provide for the community, they receive the most."

This year, BSA was granted $154,563, a $17,525 increase over 2007. VTU's total grant of $319,765 was an increase of $19,748 over 2007.                 

Burrell said that the budgets for student organizations are not subject to cuts in relation to the economy, but rather potential increases because allocations for student organization programming are taken from a portion of the student activities fee.

UUSA provides three primary ways for a campus group or organization to attain funding from the university: small grant, annual funding and contingency funding.

Small grant funding is given to organizations for a specific purpose or event and is limited to a maximum of $1,500.

Annual funding pertains to organizations that hold programs and activities throughout the entire fiscal year.

Contingency funding is available to annual funding recipients to address any outstanding needs or new programs developing during the fiscal year period.

Determining the budget for a club or organization begins with an application process. The group requesting funding from student organizations fills out a detailed form requesting a specific amount of money and an explanation about how those funds will contribute to their mission, Burrell said.

The requirements to be eligible for funding are open to every organization.

Hunter said the deadline for the registration form is the fourth Friday of class, which falls on Sept. 18 this year. Applicants then attend a mandatory budget workshop before turning in their budget request by January 29, 2010.

Typical allocations for funding include programs directed primarily toward the student community, travel, operating costs of the organizations and contractual services.

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