The Government of the Student Body Senate voted to place educational, service and diversity programs at the top of its funding priority list for the 2002-2003 fiscal year.

Recreational, competitive programs and Ames community organizations round out the top five priorities.

GSB members hope the new priorities and criteria will continue to promote student life on campus by funding nearly 150 ISU student organizations. When GSB has to balance its budget or decide between funding two organizations, it can refer back to the priorities it set, said GSB Finance Director Steve Medanic.

Melissa Brunia, GSB treasurer, said more than $1.5 million is allocated to student organizations each year.

“The money we allocate out is student activity fee money,” Brunia said. “It’s raised from the student body itself.”

Brunia said all student organizations applying for funding from GSB receive equal priorities, but certain groups receive more money than others.

“If a group is getting really ambitious, we take that into consideration,” Brunia said. “If a group claims more members, they get more benefits.”

Brunia said there are several criteria a student organization must meet before the group is eligible for GSB funding.

The group must be registered with the Student Organization and Activities Center and have an account with the Campus Organization Accounting Office, Brunia said. The group cannot be closely affiliated with any political candidate, political party, academic department or specific church to receive GSB funding. The organization also must be open to all fee-paying students at Iowa State, she said.

“We stick as close as we can to the criteria to make it fair to all groups,” Brunia said. “There are some groups that get more funding. It’s how active your group is, and it’s based on their individual need.”

Brunia said there are always a couple student organizations each year that are considered controversial, such as Cuffs and NORML.

“We get a few that are always borderline,” Brunia said.

Medanic said there were several improvements made to the 2002-2003 finance priorities and criteria.

GSB increased conference funding for student organizations from $1,000 to $1,250, Medanic said.

Criteria dues were also removed for the 2002-2003 fiscal year. Previously, student organizations were required to report revenue raised from membership dues to GSB, he said.

The dues were then figured into its budget as part of its funding, and the group received more or less money from GSB based on this revenue.

“We figure the change will be easier on the organization, less confusing and hopefully will help them to grow,” Medanic said.

According to the Handbook for GSB Funded Student Organizations, more than 90 percent of GSB’s funds are distributed through the regular allocation process that takes place in the early spring semester of every year.

The process begins with informational meetings in early to mid-January and ends with the senate’s approval of budget recommendations in mid-March. The funds are then released the following fall and must be spent by the end of the fiscal year, June 30. During this process, the student organization must create a budget for the fiscal year, according to the handbook.

Brunia said the changes to the finance priorities and criteria will improve the allocation process.

“We kept it fairly consistent and loosened it up a little bit,” she said.