LSA Student Government is the student government body that presides over the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Its budget comes from a $1.50 that each LSA student is billed per semester. The money is received by the student body usually in the first three weeks of school or so. Then the LSA-SG treasurer begins dividing the money up based on applications by student groups and in coordination with LSA-SG committees. Examples of such committees are Academic Affairs, which works with the university to better the academic life of LSA students, and the Public Activities Committee which plans events for students. Other student groups and clubs submit budget proposals to LSA-SG to allocate some of the budget. LSA-SG’s committees and its treasurer in particular then decide if the budget proposals are worthy of allocations and if enough money is available. If everything works out, the student groups then get the money.
- Maureen Stych/Daily
Definitions of the items in the graphic, according to Jeffrey Wojcik, LSA-SG Treasurer:
Advertising: Any money spent that LSA-SG uses to encourage people to come to its events, to recruit new members, or to pay for fliers and Diag boards to help increase awareness of what is going on with Student Government.
Advisory Panel: LSA-SG meets with the LSA advising center periodically throughout the year to provide feedback and advice on how they can better serve LSA Students.
Allocations: LSA-SG funds student groups through its budget allocations committee. Officials from the body said they expect to be increasing the amount of funding it allocates to student organizations this year, due in part to better planning in its budget last semester, and the knowledge that student groups will need more money than ever to thrive in the current economic state.
Apparel: LSA-SG purchased sweatshirts and T-shirts partially paid for with SG money, but mostly paid for by members of government. These were purchased as advertising endeavors in an attempt to showcase student government on campus.
Campus Safety: These activities include giving out key chains with cab numbers on them to several hundred students, and in the future LSA-SG plans on increasing this line item to offset the costs of installation of street lighting to darker areas of campus.
Diag Days: LSA-SG holds several events on the Diag (or in Mason Hall when it’s cold). One example was when it worked with MSA’s Voice Your Vote commission to make sure people knew where their polling location was on Election Day.
Elections: LSA-SG pays an election director to ensure its elections are run smoothly and correctly.
Food: LSA-SG has food at several of its meetings. Much of the food expenses are for recruitment purposes, since, as Wojcik said, bringing food to meetings often gets people in the door.
Giveaways: This semester LSA-SG gave away hundreds of water bottles and backpacks to students.
Honor Council: During LSA-SG’s last election, students indicated that academic integrity was a high priority. The LSA Honor Council is considered part of LSA-SG.
ITCS: Marginal charges for voice mail that student groups with office’s in the Union pay for.
ITD: Similar to ITCS charges, they are automatically taken from LSA-SG’s account.
Partnerships: LSA-SG gave money to MSA to help sponsor Homecoming, and it has also given money to student groups as prizes for the Arts in an Hour contest held during Homecoming week.
Retreat: Student Government has an internal retreat every semester. The retreat usually includes an educational component, which Wojcik said helps to orient new members to government.
Room Rental: Every week, LSA-SG pays a room rental cost to have our committees and general government meetings. This coming semester, those costs should disappear given the body’s consistent meeting space in 2001 LSA Building.
Supplies: LSA-SG purchases various supplies to create Diag boards, put batteries in the mouse and make sure it stays organized.
Taste of Michigan: LSA-SG paid for the DJ at the 2008 welcome week event.