We'll kick off this blog with an issue that is likely on many students' minds: allocations. So -- you dutifully turned in your allocation request packets on March 31, and now you're starting to wonder why it's taking so long to hear back from us. (Last year, groups were notified at the end of July -- but we hope to aim for early July this year). This is a reasonable question, and we have (we hope) a reasonable answer.
There are three main things standing between your initial allocation packet and the final number we end up allocating you: 1) ABC Allocation Request Reviews (April), 2) FaCU (May), and 3) ABC Account Closing and Debt Reclamation (late June).
1) In the month following March 31, ABC committees (composed of 3-4 ABC reps and a member of the Executive Board) reviewed all allocation packets and presented their thoughts and reasoning behind cuts or increases at the weekly ABC board meeting, where the entire board would then discuss and vote on a recommended allocation number for each group.
2) On Thursday, May 8, the four councils will convene for the ~10 hour long Funding at Columbia University (FaCU) process, during which the pool of student life fees will be divided among the five governing boards (Student Governing Board, ABC, Community Impact, Club Sports, Inter-Greek Council) and WKCR. This year, the meeting will be open to silent observers for the first time. The ABC Executive Board has spent the past two weeks putting together its FaCU packet (remember the Form Bs and Cs you filled out for us? Multiply that by ~150 clubs -- the number of sheets we have to compile -- and on top of that, we need to explain our recommended allocation reasoning for each group. Incidentally, this part only constitutes about half of the FaCU packet). ABC's budget for the next school year is not set until the FaCU committee reaches its final decision on what to allocate our governing board.
On a related note, our treasurer, Scott St. Marie, in particular put in a huuuge amount of time and effort to prepare the FaCU packet -- please thank him/hug him/give him a cookie (or express your condolences) the next time you see him!
3) Account closing and debt reclamation takes place at the end of June, during which any unused allocation and any debt is taken back by ABC. Revenue rolls over automatically, and allocation rollover is permitted in a rare few instances. This process takes place at the end of June to allow for all pending payments to be processed.
It is only after these three processes that ABC is able to confirm a final number for your group's allocation...and which is why you randomly hear from us in the middle of summer.
Hope this was informative.
