SBC Report
Yesterday, SBC met, with a bare quorum of four members, to consider five budget proposals.
A group of sixteen students presented a Fun FunD proposal to pay 50% of the costs associated with bringing anti-oppression experts from Training for Change to Swarthmore. Training for Change would lead workshops for up to 100 students with the goal of making “all participants better allies in groups,” and “better members of the wider campus community.”
The organizers requested and received $1,500.
The newly chartered Swarthmore Drag Troupe presented its ‘spring budget.’ New groups are allowed to present initial budgets which match the less exacting standards of spring budgeting. In their proposal, the group asked for $150 in group supplies, $75 for student labor, $50 for transportation, and $250 for their end-of-semester Drag Show.
SBC elected to completely cut the student labor and transportation requests, citing precedent concerns, but urging the group to return if more concrete proposals could be made. SBC members also decided to fund a drag show for the Fall semester first, and then allow to group to reapply for the Spring. Their group supplies request was completely funded. In total, the Drag Troupe received $300.00.
The College Democrats came to SBC to request $180 to pay for more canvassing trips in preparation for the upcoming election. According to the Dems, the money would eight additional canvassing trips. The Committee voted to give full funding.
The Queer-Straight Alliance came to request $87.50 to help pay a facilitator at Coming Out Week’s Ally Workshop. The Committee voted for full funding.
The Daily Gazette presented a proposal asking for $144.00 to pay for RAM costs associated with the website launch, and $100 to out-source search capabilities to Google. As two members of the Committee had to recuse themselves from the decision, the funding was unanimously approved by a vote of two.
Finally, pun/ctum magazine came to SBC to resubmit their proposal for a polaroid camera event. pun/ctum requested $530.00, including $500 for 430 polaroids, $20 for a Kitao event, and $10 for markers. The Committee put forth proposals for $430.00 and $530.00 in funding, and with the SBC Manager breaking a tie-vote, full funding was approved.
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#1: 10/21/2008 at 10:28 a.m.
"A group of sixteen students presented a Fun FunD proposal to pay 50% of the costs associated with bringing anti-oppression experts from Training for Change to Swarthmore."
Err-- can someone from SBC clarify what the purpose of the "Fun FunD" is? Anti-oppression workshops may be a lot of important things (enlightening, useful, empowering, etc. etc.) and I'd argue that they can be well-worth funding, but my initial impressions would not associate them and, er, "fun," at least in my usage of the term. Isn't this the same Fund that once paid for Go-go dancers in Paces?
— Yves | Registered, Swarthmore
#2: 10/21/2008 at 11:32 a.m.
My cohort and myself have for some time now been trying to secure funding for a closed group that provides a safe space for Finnish sea birds to discuss their marginalization on campus, as well as a non-sea bird only group for their allies to discuss why they don't feel guilty enough about said marginalization. Now, we have yet to obtain the monies we requested, even though they were set at a reasonable $40,000. I am shocked, appalled, and slightly catatonic to discover that even SBC does not support our endeavor.
What gives?
— Argos | Unregistered, Non-Swarthmore
#3: 10/21/2008 at 1:43 p.m.
Unfortunately, such groups first need to be chartered. If Chris Green and the rest of Student Council approve of your group, and they write into your charter that you need some $40,000 worth of equipment, the Student Budget Committee would be obligated to fund the group.
— Miles Skorpen | Staff
#4: 10/21/2008 at 1:44 p.m.
The Fun FunD is designed to provide funding for unchartered groups for one time events. There was no sponsoring group for the anti-oppression workshops, and there are no plans (that we heard) to repeat the event.
Other Fun FunD purchases have included swings and, yes (I think), Go-go dancers.
— Miles Skorpen | Staff
#5: 10/21/2008 at 8:08 p.m.
While it's true that any group seeking a charter should contact me and I head the charter committee, I actually do not vote. Yongjun, Liana, Ayanna, and Joan form the voting members of this semester's Charter Committee.
Also, SBC　welcomes FunFunD proposals that meet the guidelines above. It's there for you.
— Chris Green | Registered, Swarthmore
#6: 10/22/2008 at 2:18 a.m.
Miles - the fact that my offensiveness is being regarded as if it were serious is kind of strangely satisfying and increases my undying devotion to you...but I really hope that you didn't think that an upstanding school like Swarthmore would actually admit larks and related shorebird scum.
— Argos | Unregistered, Swarthmore