Student groups and leaders call on SAC to have club input

In an open letter sent Friday afternoon to members of the Student Activities Commission, a number of student clubs and student leaders called on SAC to allow clubs to provide “constructive criticism” about the club funding guidelines.

The letter notes that student groups have not been afforded the opportunity to give input on the funding guidelines that affect their groups.

“If the SAC does not solicit club leadership feedback, the Funding Guidelines will continue to remain obstructive to event organization and program development,” the letter states.

Three of the candidates for the Georgetown University Student Association presidency—Mike Meaney (SFS ’12), Ace Factor (COL ’12), and Charlie Joyce (COL ’12)—signed on to the letter along with current GUSA President Calen Angert (MSB ’11).

Full text of the open letter to SAC after the jump.

We, the undersigned Georgetown University clubs and student leaders, urge the Student Activities Commission (SAC) to solicit and incorporate club feedback prior to amending the Funding Guidelines and presenting at the GUSA Budget Summit on our behalf.

The Funding Guidelines determine what types of events student clubs can hold, how much money we can receive, and the process by which we can obtain approvals and allocations. The Student Activities Commission has announced that the Funding Guidelines for Fall 2011 will be released February 20, and Programming Arcs, which bind us to a specific set of events for the entire fall semester, are due March 2. The GUSA Budget Summit, which will allocate the Student Activities Fee to the five advisory boards, including SAC, is February 27.

To date, SAC has offered no opportunity for club leaders to provide formal feedback on the current Funding Guidelines. The Student Activities Commission has also offered no formal opportunity for clubs to discuss the level and type of funding we need from the GUSA-delegated Student Activities Fee. We urge SAC not to assume what clubs need and want. In order to improve the Funding Guidelines to be more reflective of club programming, the process of determining club funding must be a two way process. Clubs must be consulted.

We expect a formal opportunity to offer constructive criticism of the current Funding Guidelines before they are amended for Fall 2011. We also expect a formal opportunity to raise questions and concerns prior to the GUSA Budget Summit so that SAC may represent club opinions more accurately.

If the SAC does not solicit club leadership feedback, the Funding Guidelines will continue to remain obstructive to event organization and program development. Moreover, if SAC does not solicit club leader input, it cannot claim to accurately represent or even understand club needs at the GUSA Budget Summit.

We hope for a dynamic two-way dialogue with SAC whereby SAC can advise clubs and clubs can voice their opinions and concerns. Together, both can improve the mechanisms for event approval and make campus life at Georgetown more vibrant.

International Relations Club

International Students Association

College Democrats

Philodemic Society

Muslim Students Association

Taiwanese American Student Association

Iranian Cultural Society

GU Art Aficionados

Students for Justice in Palestine

Jesse Mirtotznik, Co-President – Jewish Students Association

Calen Angert, GUSA President

Jason Kluger, GUSA Vice President

Greg Laverierre, Chair – GUSA Senate Finance and Appropriations

Committee and Vice Presidential Candidate

Michael Barclay, Chair – GUSA Senate Student Life Committee

Clara Gustafson, Chair – GUSA Senate Community Building and Outreach Committee

Mike Meaney, GUSA Deputy Chief of Staff and Presidential Candidate

Charlie Joyce, GUSA Executive Cabinet and Presidential Candidate

Paige Lovejoy, GUSA Vice Presidential Candidate

Ace Factor, GUSA Presidential Candidate

James Pickens, GUSA Vice Presidential Candidate

Ben Bold, Vice-Speaker – GUSA Senate

Shuo Yan Tan, International Student Representative – Diversity in Action Council

Scott Stirrett, Chair – DC Students Speak; former SAC Commissioner

Jeff Morshed, former SAC Commissioner

Will Kim, former SAC Commissioner