IUSA revamps aid protocol for student-run organizations

Too many costs, not enough cash. Money is tight, and the expenses are piling up.

It’s an age-old problem made new by tight financial times. On campus, it’s one faced not only by individuals but also by student organizations. That is where the IU Student Association Funding Board and Funding Department come in to help.

Both are mandated to distribute student money from the Student Organization fund — provided each year through mandatory student fees — to student groups for help with expenses.

“We fund a wide variety of initiatives, from bigger things like IU Dance Marathon. ...to Eastern European conferences on campus,” senior and Funding Department Director Kristina Anderson said.

Any student organization listed with the Student Activities Office can apply, but applicants will notice a change from previous years when applications were processed through IUSA AID or Funding Board alone. Now, the Funding Department oversees the daily operations of the Funding Board.

The difference is a result of the changes instituted this summer in an effort to protect the Funding Board from outside influence.

“This model will allow for less confusion among students while maintaining a barrier between the administration and allocation functions to remove any potential bias,” IUSA Chief of Staff Neil Kelty wrote in an e-mail.

Anderson’s role is separate from that of the 11 members of the Funding Board. Along with fellow senior and Funding Board Director Alex Swider, Anderson guides organizations through the application process and serves as a point of contact.

After Anderson and Swider have dealt with the initial application process, the Funding Board reviews applications and presentations to determine how they’ll allocate funds. If they’re approved, the Funding Board will provide between 35 and 75 percent of the funds for an organization’s project, Anderson said. 

In terms of staying separate from IUSA Executive Branch influence, Anderson said she thinks the Funding Board stays true to its goal.

“IUSA Funding Board is supposed to be unbiased, and I honestly think they are,” she said.

While the changes might sound confusing, board member and senior Nathaniel Kenninger said they won’t be too noticeable.

“The changes are really more at a higher level and won’t really affect students,” said Kenninger, who is a previous Funding Board co-director and a previous member of IUSA AID.

Anderson said any lingering confusion about the application process can be cleared up with a visit to the Funding Board Office in the Indiana Memorial Union. The office is open from 4 and 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.