“We are in a budget crisis,” said Student Government Association Treasurer Deonte Lewis, “We really need to be very picky about how much money we approve.” Lewis was addressing the first general body meeting of the SGA during their training on the new approval processes for club budgets and expenditures. SGA made dramatic cuts to club funding at the start of the semester, but estimates that these cuts alongside other changes will allow them to maintain a more balanced budget in future years.
(Above: photo of projected SGA budgets for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years. Photo Credit: Zev Israel)
Allocating and overseeing club funding is one of the SGA’s primary roles, and the 2025-26 academic year saw major changes in how money is handled. In previous years all clubs could request a budget of up to $2600. This year however, club budgets are divided into three tiers: tier 1 clubs can be allotted up to $500, tier 2 clubs can be allotted up to $1000, and tier 3 clubs can be allotted up to $1500. Additionally, only clubs that have been active for more than a year are eligible for a tier 3 budget.
After hearing a club’s budget request — as well as a recommendation from the ways and means committee — the SGA senate then makes a decision on which tier the club will be designated as based on various factors such as membership, planned expenditures, and how active the club is.
The most money a club can request in their budget ($1500) is over 40% less than in previous years ($2600). In an attempt to mitigate this, the SGA has also introduced a new budget appeal process, by which clubs can petition to receive up to another $1000 after their initial budget allocation. While many clubs did not make full use of the old $2600 budgets, Treasurer Lewis said in an interview that “there were some clubs who did spend 2500, 2600, 2000 dollars, and we thought it would be unfair for these experienced clubs to have to cut their budget by $1100 or $1000.”
The appeal process does come with tight restrictions and increased scrutiny from SGA. The SGA plans to accept a maximum of five budget appeals for the entire academic year. In order to submit an appeal, clubs must complete an additional form showing what the money will be spent on and then send at least one club officer and two club members to attend the general assembly meeting at which the appeal will be discussed. At the meeting, they must speak on why their club needs the additional funding, and then answer further questions from SGA senators. As of the writing of this article, four clubs have submitted budget appeals, with three of them having been approved by the senate (Preface Literary Magazine, Humans vs Zombies, and Independent Music Club).
Above: Art Club budget allocation for the ‘25-26 academic year (SGA Senate Bill SB-2025-1-015-F)
Treasurer Lewis also highlighted some positive aspects of the new system. He emphasized one of the main goals of the tier system being to “ask clubs to think about what they will need for the whole year” and encourage them to “boil down what [they] will need, and have an exact number.” He specifically highlighted the attention to detail in the Art Club budget as an example for other clubs to look towards.
While these changes are drastic, President Christian Houck and Treasurer Lewis both explained that it was necessary to cut down on spending. The SGA had been spending at a deficit since Covid, when they amassed a large budget surplus from a lack of in person events. They had projected their spending to level out this year, supported by growing enrollment projections, as well as an expected increase in the amount of money they receive from the Student Activity Fee — their main source of money. However, neither of these panned out. Enrollment numbers came in under expectations, and SGA’s allotted funding per student from the Student Activity Fee remained the same.
Club funding has not been the only cut though, as President Houck noted that cabinet and executive compensation were also reduced. This comes after the SGA eliminated senator salaries entirely last fall.
By Zev Israel ‘26
