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RSO board debates enforcing finance policy technicality

The Recognized Student Organization Funding Board debated heavily Monday on the merits of the 30-day notice required before an RSO can host an event funded by the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming.

The rule, strictly outlined in the finance policy that was rewritten last spring, requires campus groups to submit applications for ASUW funding at least 30 days before the event. According to the policy, such requests submitted too late should be denied.

An issue arises when organizations would like to plan events in the first weeks of the school year.

“Many of the RSOs have not met for the first time during the first two weeks of school,” said Dustin Bales.

According to ASUW staff and accounting associate Kristy Isaak, the issue is one the RSO funding board has seen many times within past years.

“We have turned a blind eye looking in favor of the RSO,” Isaak said.

Last week, the RSO funding board looked the other way for groups like the International Justice Mission, which requested ASUW dollars to bring a band to campus in September. At ASUW senate the following day, senators gave the final vote of approval and also suspended the finance policy to allow the event to occur in accordance with the established rules.

The vote did raise some dissent among senators who did not feel comfortable with suspending the finance policy, saying that it set a precedent. Discussion on this same topic continued at the RSO funding board Monday, as the board dealt with two more late requests for funding.

The first request, submitted by the Chinese Scholars and Student Organization, asked for $6,500 for a mid-autumn festival. The campus group plans to bring in “moon cakes” by the carload along with other goods from a Chinese supermarket in Colorado.

“We will probably need two cars to transport the moon cakes,” organization president Fanyang Jiang said

The second organization, Alpha Epsilon Delta, plans to host a bone marrow registration event where students can learn more about donating bone marrow to save lives. Jaryd Unangst, representative for the organization, said the event moved 314 people on campus to become donors in 2010. The group requested $5,300 for the event.

The problem was that the Chinese Scholars and Student Organization submitted its request seven days late. Alpha Epsilon Delta submitted its request one day late.

The board argued heavily on whether to recommend zero dollars due to the policy, or to recommend the full amount and try to get the policy changed later. Both requests must be voted upon in senate on Tuesday because the amount requested is more than $1,000.

“How often have we not funded an RSO? If we say no now, it’s a big deal,” Luis Garcia said.

Isaak confirmed that remark, saying RSOs are not usually denied more than twice a year.

The risk, members of the board said, is that senate does not approve the events due to a finance policy technicality.

In the end, the board decided to recommend amounts of $6,400 to the Chinese mid-autumn festival and $5,240 to the bone marrow registration event. It also decided to visit the Budget and Planning Committee for recommendations on fixing the finance policy for the future.

The ASUW senate will give the final vote, and likely further discuss interpretation of the finance policy at its Tuesday meeting.

Photo: Katie Glennemeier
Jaryd Unangst, right, requests funding for a bone marrow registration event before RSO funding board members Cati Calvetti, Stephen Boyer and Luis Garcia at the board’s Monday meeting.

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