Fee board amends rules for funding departments

The Student Fee Review Board made several policy changes at a meeting Saturday, allowing it more flexibility and power when distributing student fees.

The board approved amendments to its policy making it possible to take an organization — like Athletics or Student Health and Counseling — off recurring-funding status.

SFRB Chair Lissa Knudsen said some situations might make it unnecessary to give money to certain recurring-funding organizations.

“If we get universal health care, then we maybe wouldn’t need to fund Student Health and Counseling,” she said at a February meeting.

Before the amendments, the SFRB could only promote groups to recurring-funding status. Organizations on recurring funding status receive a locked-in allocation every year.

Also, the board changed its policy to allow a 10 percent probationary cut for all recurring-funding organizations, instead of 5 percent. Jake Wellman, an undergraduate member on the board, proposed the amendment.

Wellman also introduced another means of cutting funding to an organization. The SFRB can now cut groups by 5 percent, but only if fiscal situations warrant it.

“For fiscal reasons only, the SFRB may recommend a non-probationary reduction for an organization on recurring-funding status,” the policy amendment reads.

The board also took measures to prevent student fees from being allocated without going through necessary steps.

The board approved a $30,000 allocation to fund ABQRide bus passes for UNM students; however, it did so without receiving an application on behalf of the bus passes.

So, Knudsen recommended amending the SFRB policy to forbid any such allocation for organizations that do not complete an application by the specified deadline.

“Organizations must submit an application to be eligible for funding,” the policy reads. “The submitted applications must include a budget that clearly indicates in line items the specific activities to be funded by the SFRB.”

Knudsen said the allocation for the bus passes — which can only be made if outside organizations contribute $30,000 also — sets a bad precedent despite the passes’ presumed importance.

UNM President David Schmidly still has to approve all of the amendments, and we don’t know when he’ll read them.