Whereas, the 2025-2026 fee-setting cycle was criticized for a lack of transparency,
Whereas, this lack of transparency made it difficult for the Student Assembly to properly articulate the Finance Committee’s recommendations, as specific financial information could not be disclosed,
Whereas, organizations with violations under Appendix B of the Student Assembly Charter were not apparent to the Assembly until the by-line funded cycle, when financial information was submitted,
Whereas, many by-line organizations had to rush to compile financial information to submit for the by-line funding application, with some organizations needing additional time past the deadline to ascertain all financial information,
Whereas, many students do not know how their Student Activity Fee dollars are used due to the lack of publicly-available information on organization-specific spending,
Whereas, consistent, public financial reporting would ensure students are fully equipped to understand the Finance Committee’s rationale in decision making,
Whereas, publicly available financial information would allow both students and the Student Assembly to ensure spending follows guidelines without having to specifically request financial information from organizations each time an organization is suspect of violation,
Whereas, a consistent template for financial reporting that is routinely used and published for the student body would reduce by-line funded organization’s stress in compiling financial information in the short time between the start of the semester and the application’s due date set in the Student Assembly Charter,
Whereas, published financial information would allow students to follow how their Student Activity Fee money is spent, both ensuring transparency and protecting student agency over spending,
Be it finally resolved, Appendix B, Section 3, Subsection Q: Public Finance Documentation be added to the Student Assembly Charter, reading:
“Public Finance Documentation: The Vice President for Finance shall provide a template to document the income and expenses of by-line organizations and their sub organizations by the week before the start of each semester. Organizations must make this document public via CampusGroups and their website, if applicable. The template is to include the previous semester’s finances by the second week of the following semester. The Vice President for Finance shall be strongly encouraged to prioritize consistency with prior years when making templates. These public finances shall be one of the resources considered in off-year and on-year by-line meetings.”
Respectfully Submitted,
Hayden Watkins
Executive Vice President, Student Assembly
