Documenting the Dollars: What SFC Is Doing For Me

With appeals finished, the Student Finance Committee is now faced with a different and sometimes more difficult process of allocations: ad-hocs. Any campus group or coalition of groups is eligible to apply for “ad-hoc” funding when they have an unexpected expense or newly formed independent project. Each proposal must include a budget and go through an approval process, including a defense of the budget in front of the committee.
Why are ad-hocs so difficult for the SFC? Ad-hoc funding is normally used as a last resort for funding for specific programs, speakers, or events, which means that all ad-hocing groups are truly in need of money. When considering each ad-hoc proposal, the SFC must decide whether or not the program is an appropriate use of the student activity fee..
When groups ask for funding to go to events off campus the committee must decide whether or not the experience for a few students can be justified as a benefit for the greater community. The committee must weigh the notion that a campus activity may require the off campus training of certain individuals with the fact that only a small proportion of students are benefiting directly from the use of the funds. The same problem occurs when deciding whether to fund groups’ participation in political campaigns that take place off-campus. While being politically active is clearly a valuable student activity, should the Student Activity Fee be used to promote political causes that benefit people outside of the Oberlin community—non-students.
These scenarios are just examples of the decisions that plague the SFC. In many cases it feels as if there is no right answer. What would you do if you were on the Student Finance Committee? Would you approve or deny funding to groups wishing to send students to concerts, protests, and performances off campus? Where would you draw the line between what is and is not a student activity? Would you approve or deny the SAF actively funding a political campaign? Would you continue to give groups money beyond their initial allocation if their activities benefit the community? If you grant funding, is the campus at risk for having one type of programming all year long? Since this issue affects everyone, the SFC encourages dialogue about the activity fee and would love to hear what you have to say about it. In fact, your responses may be printed in this column (with your consent) and will definitely be read by the committee. Have a say in how your money is allocated: e-mail osfc@oberlin.edu.

–Laura Wallerstein
College junior
Student Finace Committee