The Government of the Study Body will dole out more than 1.5 million dollars to about 120 student organizations this spring. Members of the GSB Finance Committee hope to ease students through the upcoming allocations process.

“This money is students’ money, and they should come and get it,” said Steve Medanic, GSB Finance Director.

The finance process began Jan. 15 with mandatory meetings in the Gold Room of the Memorial Union.

At the meetings, students received an information packet, a sample budget, finance criteria and a computer disk with finance forms.

They were also assigned a finance adviser from the GSB Finance Committee.

GSB Treasurer Melissa Brunia said although the meetings were mandatory, student groups can still contact GSB to receive financing until budgets are due Feb. 12.

“If anyone still wants to get funding, it’s not too late. Come in and see us ASAP,” said Brunia, senior in genetics.

The second step student organizations must complete in the finance process is drawing up a budget.

Each student group’s finance committee adviser can counsel them through the occasionally tedious process.

“We give students several resources to help them make their budget,” Medanic said. “Hopefully, the advisers can help generate ideas for the group.”

Students who experience additional difficulties can attend several Budget Help Sessions the finance committee is hosting in the GSB Office Jan. 28 and Feb. 11.

After a student organization has completed a proposed budget, members must attend a hearing at which the entire finance committee reviews the budget.

“We want [the student organization] to be able to defend anything in their budget or explain it further,” Brunia said.

The biggest challenge in the allocation process, Medanic said, is miscommunication between student groups and the finance committee.

“A lack of communication can lead to a lot of confusion and anger on both sides,” said Medanic, senior in physics.

After the bill goes through a hearing, it will then be read at the GSB Senate meeting on March 6.

Senators have a week between the original reading of the bill and the actual voting on the allocations to review where funding is going.

The final vote on spring allocations will take place March 13 at the regular GSB Senate meeting in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.

“[The senators] have a week to look over anything that seems fishy to them,” Brunia said.

If the senate passes the bill, it is then taken to the GSB president who chooses to sign or veto it.

If the bill is signed, it becomes law and funds are sent out to the student organizations.

Medanic said it is not too late for student organizations to contact GSB to start the allocations process.

Organizations can still attend the help sessions or contact the GSB finance office at 294-1585 or e-mail [email protected].