Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Swarthmore College Computer Society (SCCS)
Swarthmore College Computer Society requested $1150.00 to partially cover the cost of attending the International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Systems (ICPADS) in Melbourne, Australia. The funds will pay registration fees and hotel costs for one person. Full funding was proposed and passed unanimously. SCCS also reached out to the Dean’s Office, Computer Science Department, Sigma Xi, and HHMI for airfare funds.
Swarthmore Asian Organization (SAO)
Swarthmore Asian Organization requested $35.00 to host an event about Americanized Chinese food on the evening of Tuesday, October 20, 2015. Full funding was proposed and passed unanimously with two Committee members abstaining from voting.
WSRN-FM
WSRN, Swarthmore College’s student-run radio station, requested $300.00 to pay for a new microphone ($179.99), three microphone clips at $13.99 each ($41.97), a new turntable needle ($31.99), 1/4” adapters ($8.99), twist ties ($6.99), Sharpies ($15.25), a notebook ($3.39), and tax/shipping ($11.43). The Student Budget Committee had already approved funding for group supplies and a new microphone during spring budgeting; although a new microphone was not purchased, it is possible that the money might have been spent elsewhere. As a result, one committee member proposed $274.37 (the proposed amount less the cost of twist ties, Sharpies, and a notebook) in conditional funding, wherein the Student Budget Committee will check their records to confirm that the money was not spent. Conditional funding passed unanimously with two Committee members abstaining from voting.
Men’s Club Soccer
The team representative was unable to attend the meeting. The team requested $67.54 for transportation to a game at Ursinus College. Full funding was proposed and passed unanimously.
Club Squash
The Club Squash team requested $250.00 to subsidize the cost of attending the U.S. Open Squash Finals. Full funding was proposed and passed unanimously.
The Phoenix
The Phoenix requested $5229.00 to help cover their printing costs of $42,000.00. They were initially allocated $20,000.00 during spring budgeting. Their revenue from advertising is expected to gross about $10,000.00, and they receive funding from the President’s Office amounting to $3,500.00 per semester. This request would cover the remaining difference for their cost of printing. Lengthy discussion ensued regarding printing costs, which continue to increase every year. Although the Committee cannot require a student organization to behave in a specific manner, a suggestion was made to reduce the number of issues of either The Phoenix or the Swarthmore Review. The Committee voted to table the issue; they will meet with the editors of The Phoenix and the Swarthmore Review after fall break.
Swarthmore Christian Fellowship (SCF)
The Swarthmore Christian Fellowship requested a transfer of $352.00 from their funds for group supplies and all-campus events into a fund for meals. Twelve students are going to North Carolina to take action on poverty, human trafficking, and environmental justice. The Lang Center and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship have arranged to pay for transportation costs and accommodations with host families. The Student Budget Committee, however, does not fund off-campus food. SCF will meet with the Lang Center to request they pay for the meals, so that the Student Budget Committee can fund their transportation. The Committee will vote online.
Kitao Gallery
This is a continuation of a discussion from last week (Sunday, September 27, 2015). The organization spent $308.78 without a request to the Student Budget Committee, raising the issue of retroactive funding. SBC does not fund retroactively. Although there is still confusion as to what happened, SBC claimed some responsibility for the miscommunication. The organization resolved the issue of finding compensation; receipts will be provided to the parents of a Kitao board member and the amount spent will be claimed for a tax refund.
The representative presented a budget proposal totaling $1500.00. Kitao Gallery requested $500.00 for supplies, $400.00 for student labor, and $600.00 for events; there was no clear breakdown of spending beyond these three categories. When a student organization fails to attend spring budgeting, the SBC by-laws require all subsequent budget proposals to be cut in half; the Committee needs to reliably know how much they have available to provide in supplementary funding. The committee voted unanimously to pass the reduced budget ($750.00) with one Committee member leaving before the vote took place.
