Augsburg College Student Government Finance Policy, Revised 2002
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Article I Student Organization Accounts

Organizations chartered or commissioned by Student Senate will have an account only with the Augsburg Student Government Association. All accounts will be established by the Student Body Treasurer. All chartered organizations' financial transactions will be processed in the business office, but may be handled by the financial manager (treasurer, etc…) of that commissioned organization and that organization's advisor or solely by the Student Body Treasurer and the Student Body President. The Director of Student Activities may authorize financial transactions in emergencies. Organizations are not permitted under any circumstances to maintain petty cash, as defined by the Student Senate.

Article II Student Activity Fee Usage

Sec. 1 Members of the Augsburg Student Body may not be charged admission or fees for on-campus events/activities financed by Student Activity Fees. Admission and fees may be charged to Augsburg Students for events held off-campus in order to offset the cost of the events. Income generated must first be returned to the line-item from which the costs were incurred to offset the cost of the event/activity. All net profits will be considered revenue. If revenue was generated off of a grant request, the revenue will immediately be returned to the grant request fund from which it was taken.

Sec. 2 Student organizations may purchase merchandise with student activity fees for resale only with the permission of the Augsburg College Student Government Finance Committee. Income generated must first be returned to the line-item from which the costs were incurred to offset the cost of the merchandise.

CL. 1 All net profits for commissioned organizations will be moved to a revenue line item within the organization's budget.
CL. 2 If a commissioned organization overspends within its revenue line item, the debt will be taken from its budget for the following year.
CL. 3 If a non-commissioned organization overspends within its revenue line item, that organization will be responsible for paying back the debt. Until the next academic year, or until the debt is paid, the organization's account will be frozen and it will not be allowed to submit any grant requests.

Article III Student Activity Fee Allocation Process

Sec. 1 Commissioned Organizations will receive funding through the following process established by the Student Senate.

CL. 1 Budget requests for the following academic year for all commissioned organizations and the Student Government Executive Branch must be submitted to the Student Body Treasurer by the last regular Senate meeting in February.

CL. 2 The Executive Board will create a budget proposal for the following academic year based on 95 percent of the projected enrollment figures provided by the Student Body Treasurer. The finance committee must approve the budget. The Senate must also approve the budget.

a. A minimum of $25,000 will be allocated to the Chartered Grant Request Fund.

b. A minimum of $25,000 will be allocated to the Commissioned Grant Request Fund.

CL. 3 Budget requests will contain six major line item divisions: Supplies, Printing/Promotions, Postage, Co-Sponsorship, Activities, and Salaries.

a. Supplies are general office products needed for day-to-day office functions and do not include postage, but may include equipment.
b. Printing/Promotions will include flyers, posters, and promotion materials.
c. Postage will cover necessary correspondence and other use of mail services.
d. Co-Sponsorship will be used to facilitate collaboration with other chartered and/or commissioned groups.
e. The activities line item shall include all the programming costs for that organization.
f. Salaries will be governed by Article VI.

CL. 4 The budget of the Augsburg Student Government Association Executive Branch will consist of the same six line items. The budget is also responsible for purchasing general office supplies needed by the chartered organizations. The student Body Secretary to the Senate is responsible for keeping the Senate office supplied.

CL. 5 When accounts close in the summer the new Student Body President and Student Body Treasurer will meet with the Director of Student Activities and a Business Office representative to review the closing balances for the preceding academic year on all student organization accounts. Adjustments to budget allocations based on carry-over will be made at this time, subject to the approval of the Finance Committee and Senate.

CL. 6 Once enrollment figures for fall semester are available (the tenth day of classes), the Executive Board may make adjustments to budget allocations, subject to the approval of the Finance Committee and Senate.

CL. 7 Commissioners may request line item transfers from the Student Senate Finance Committee. The Student Senate Finance Committee can give final approval of the requested line item transfer.

Sec. 2 Grant Request money is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. All programs, events, and activities funded by grant requests must be open to all Augsburg students.

CL. 1 Funding may be obtained through a Grant Request. Augsburg College Student Government Association Finance Committee may request additional budget information about the grant request.

a. Each Grant Request must indicate the date, the name of person submitting the request, total amount of Grant Request, date money is needed, and a list of items to be funded. The organization's advisor must sign off on the grant request.
b. Student organizations must submit a detailed, itemized list of estimated costs for the Grant Request. Preference will be shown to those chartered organizations that promote and encourage activities which are culturally, socially, spiritually, and recreationally beneficial to the Augsburg student body.
c. Grant requests will be considered by the Finance Committee within three Senate meetings of their receipt.

CL. 2 Grant Requests up to and equaling $1,000 can be approved solely by Finance Committee action. Grant Requests exceeding $1,000 must be additionally approved by the student Senate. Grant Requests exceeding $10,000 must be tabled by Senate for a one-week period of review.

CL. 3 Grant Request funds may not be used for any of the following: general office supplies, salaries/stipends to organizational leaders, gifts, cash prizes, transportation, and sales tax.

CL. 4 Grants to organizations should not exceed $150 per person participating in the activity.

CL. 5 Organizations granted money must publicize the event through a campus-wide student email.

CL. 6 The Grant Request process will be approved annually by the Finance Committee and made known publicly before the second Senate meeting of the academic year.

Article IV Expenditure of Funds

Sec. 1 Purchases by student organizations are not subject to sales tax. The Student Body Treasurer must provide the tax exempt number and certificate when applicable.

Sec. 2 The expenditure of funds maintained within an established student organization account may only occur through the following means.

CL. 1 Senate Commissions may charge to their specific account and line-item. Chartered organizations may charge to their accounts. On-campus charges are permitted only in graphics, the mailroom, academic computing, and Food Service. Each fall, the Student Body Treasurer will develop a list of the authorized individuals who are permitted to charge on a specific account and provide the list to campus departments that accept charges.

CL. 2 In emergency cases an individual may purchase equipment and/or services by spending personal funds according to the following provisions.

a. Prior to the emergency purchase the individual should receive written approval from either the Student Body Treasurer or Student Body President.
b. Personal Reimbursements over $50 will require signatures of both the Student Body Treasurer and Student Body President, as well as the Director of Student Activities.
c. Any purchase made without prior written permission will not be reimbursed.
d. Appeals will be heard only by the Senate.

CL. 3 The Student Body President or the Student Body Treasurer must sign off on the transfer of funds between organizational accounts.

Sec. 3 Any unauthorized spending or failure to follow finance policy is subject to disciplinary action by the Student Government and/or the Dean.

Article V Carry-over Funds

Sec. 1 Organizations receiving student activity fee dollars that will have expenses coming in after the end of one fiscal year will be permitted to carry over their account balance to cover said expenses.

Article VI Student Government Salary Approval Process

Sec. 1 The Augsburg Student Government Association Executive Board positions, commissioner's positions, and certain staff positions within the Commissioned Organizations are paid. The amount of the salary is determined annually during the Augsburg Student Government Association budgeting process. No individual will receive a salary in excess of the Student Body President or Vice President in a given year and no individual will receive more than one salary within a commission.

Sec. 2 The following process applies to the approval and payment of salaries through Augsburg Student Government Association.

CL. 1 The Student Senate will provide final authorization on all payments of stipends.

CL. 2 Stipends will be paid in two portions during the academic year. Every attempt will be made to have Fall semester checks available on the 15th of December and Spring semester checks by April 15th.

CL. 3 Prior to approving of stipends, the following performance review of all individuals receiving stipends will occur and all recommendations will be made to Student Senate for final approval.

a. Salaried staff within the commissions will be reviewed by the commissioner(s).
b. Each Commissioner, the Student Body Treasurer, and the Student Body Secretary(s) will be reviewed by the Student Body President.
c. The Student Senate will review the Student Body President and Student Body Vice President.

CL. 4 Stipends will not exceed the budgeted amount.

CL. 5 In the event of a recommended reduction of a stipend, the appropriate individual will be notified of the recommendation and be provided a one-week opportunity to appeal the decision to Student Senate. After the appeal is made, any decision made by the Student Senate will be final.