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Syracuse University’s Student Association proposed changes to the university’s fiscal code, which determines funding for registered student organizations on campus, during its Monday meeting. The changes would direct money from SU’s rollover funds, typically reserved for emergencies, to RSOs.

SA’s Comptroller, Alexis Leach, hopes to propose the changes in a meeting with SU’s Chief Facilities Officer, Peter Sala. As the budget for RSOs and events they host are funded entirely by undergraduate students’ activity fees, Leach believes it’s important for the university to channel its resources toward more meaningful projects.

“It’s not ethical or morally sound to keep money that belongs to students in this student account,” she explained. “We should be using it to push initiatives.”

The unusual surplus in the university’s rollover funds is a carryover from the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted student activity on campus, leaving behind leftover money, Leach said. With the revisions to the fiscal code, she hopes to ensure these extra resources are spent effectively to avoid unnecessary expenditures — specifically, $250,000 Leach said went to catering during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Under the proposed changes, SA would impose a $60,000 cap on catering for future years. Leach said SA plans to transition to a system where rollover funds are reserved exclusively for emergencies, while hoping to reduce recurring high expenses like catering.

The changes to the fiscal code would also limit how many events an organization could host with the “same name, likeness, and purpose,” Leach said. She explained that some groups hosted several events of similar purposes, but under the new fiscal code would be limited to hosting three events.

“That is not a good use of student activities funds,” Leach said. “We need to give other organizations the opportunity to have these events.”

Leach emphasized the importance of investing in meaningful projects with the rollover funds, suggesting a lending closet for RSOs. The closet would reduce SU’s spending by providing commonly requested supplies, like photo booths and light-up candles, for RSOs to share. The lending closet and other projects funded by rollover savings like the grocery bus and the blue-light system show how the university could further use rollover funds, Leach said.

SA members also said they want to establish an ad hoc committee to review and update SA bylaws and changes to the fiscal codes, which would go into effect for the next academic year. The committee would consider the overall budget and the long-term impact of the upcoming year’s allocations, in addition to reviewing any proposed changes.

To ensure the fiscal code changes would reflect the best interests of everyone on campus, Leach announced SA will host a town hall about the fiscal code changes, where RSO leaders may ask questions about funding for their organizations.

Other business

• During the meeting’s open comment period, New York Public Interest Research Group representative Reece Holt announced the organization will host a Higher Education Day on Wednesday. The event will give students information about Pell Grants, opportunity programs and other matters.
• The association announced some upcoming events it’s planning for the spring semester, including a dodgeball fundraising tournament and a farmer’s market in April.

Published on February 18, 2025 at 2:40 am