SAC announces 2013-2014 budget

The Student Activities Council announced its budget for the coming school year Thursday evening to a crowd of student group treasurers.

After individual budgets were released to groups on April 1, each had the chance to appeal its allocation. Last week, the SAC executive board convened to review appeals and decide what it would grant to applicants. Groups that were still unsatisfied had the chance to appeal their allocation again, said College junior and SAC Chair Jen Chaquette.

This year’s budgets saw a lot of cuts for SAC groups.

Alternate Spring Break, the American Red Cross Club, Circle K, Penn Speaks for Autism, Philadelphia Alliance for Labor Support and the Sports Club Council all appealed their grants to the SAC general body.

All of the above groups but Penn Speaks for Autism were not granted any of their requested appeals from the SAC executive board, and so brought the appeals process to the general body.

Alternate Spring Break was the first to appeal. College junior and ASB Finance Coordinator Loren Kole spoke for the group. They requested an appeal based on the minimal amount of funding required to pay their dues, she said.

The groups’ appeals would pass subject to a majority vote by the gathered general body. ASB was able to successfully sway the body, and was granted an additional $8,470. The American Red Cross Club and Penn Speaks for Autism were also able to receive additional funds, though the other groups did not.

“The body varies in how it reacts to appeals on a year-by-year basis. This year was very much in line with appeals in past years while I have been on SAC Exec,” Chaquette said in an email. “The vast majority of groups are quite pleased with their budgets for next year and we’re excited to work with them and see all of the great events that they put on.”

At the end of the appeals process, outgoing Undergraduate Assembly Treasurer and College senior Jake Shuster said, “We made a very cognizant effort [during the UA’s budget process] to make sure this body and your groups could get as much money as possible. I’m confident to say that next year we’re going to be making a lot of improvement, since the administration has begun to understand the problems with facilities.”

“Hopefully going into the next years, you can begin to restore a lot of your cuts,” Shuster added.

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