Organization Handbook
Student Activities Allocation Board
Article I. Purpose and Mission
The Student Activities Allocation Board is an internal committee within the Division of Student Development at Ohio Dominican University. The purpose of the Student Activities Allocation Board is to make decisions for allocating student activity fee funds to the registered student organizations for their programs and activities. The Student Activities Allocation Board administers the allocation process according to the established policies and procedures, while striving to insure that the allocations are fair and provide a vibrant array of activities and co-curricular opportunities to the Ohio Dominican community.
return to top
Article II. Composition of Student Activities Allocation Board
Section 1. Membership
The Student Activities Allocation Board (SAAB) is composed of ten (10) members as outlined below. Representatives are selected through the procedures outlined in Article II, Section 2. All members are voting members of the SAAB.
- Chair – Director of Student Activities
- Student Senate Representative (3)
- Black Student Union (1)
- Delta Sigma Pi (1)
- Panther Activities Council (1)
- Panther Players (1)
- PRSSA (1)
- Sigma Tau Delta (1)
Student organizations selected are based on campus involvement and will be reviewed on an annual basis. Student organizations forfeiting their seat for two (2) consecutive meetings will be removed from membership.
return to top
Section 2. Representatives
Representatives are to provide a diversity of thought and experience, not advocate for any one particular organization.
Student organizations must select their representative, and notify the Chair, no later than three (3) weeks prior to the SAAB meeting date.
To ensure fruitful discussions, representatives must attend the SAAB meeting and be chosen accordingly.
If student organizations do not select their representatives by the deadline, the organization’s seat is forfeited. Any forfeited seats will be offered to all student organizations and filled by order of responses.
Representatives will receive SAAB training materials from the Chair via email.
return to top
Section 3. Student Activities Allocation Board Annual Budget
SAAB shall allocate up to 65% of the monies generated from the student activity fee.
5% of the SAAB Annual Budget shall be withheld in the Contingency Fund. This fund will be used for new organizations and new programming opportunities as outlined in Article III, Section 4. SAAB may vote to replenish the contingency fund as necessary.
5% of the SAAB Annual Budget shall be withheld in the Conference Travel Fund. This fund will be used for conference travel and lodging as outlined in Article III, Section 5. SAAB may not vote to replenish the conference travel fund.
All active student organizations shall receive $20 for their duplicating accounts. New organizations recognized during fall semester shall receive $20 for their duplicating accounts. New organizations recognized during spring semester shall receive $10 for their duplicating accounts. Requests to replenish duplicating accounts can be made per procedures outlined in Article III, Section 2.
return to top
Section 4. Meetings
SAAB meetings will be held at 1:00-4:00 pm on the following days:
- Third Friday of September
- First Friday of February
- Third Friday of April
The April SAAB meeting will hear allocation requests for the following academic year.
return to top
Section 5. Voting
All SAAB members are voting members.
SAAB may approve or disapprove, in total or in part, any allocation request. If partial funding is granted, the allocation should at least meet the minimum amount necessary to hold the event.
The decision of the majority of the SAAB members is final. The Chair will serve as tie-breaker for any decision resulting in a tie.
The organization will be notified of the decision through university email no more than three (3) business days following the meeting.
return to top
Article III. Allocation Procedures
Section 1. Eligibility
A student organization is eligible to submit an allocation request if the following conditions have been met:
- Organization is officially recognized and is in good standing with the Student Activities Office.
- Organization has a constitution on file in the Student Activities Office.
- Organization has a list of current officers on file in the Student Activities Office.
- Organization president and treasurer completed Officer Orientation.
- Organizations which receive funds directly from the University and the Student Activities Office are not eligible to request funding from SAAB.
return to top
Section 2. Requests
Organizations wishing to request funds must complete the Student Activities Allocation Request Form.
Completed Student Activities Allocation Request Forms must be submitted online two (2) weeks before the scheduled SAAB meeting where the request will be heard.
Student Activities Allocation Request Forms must be completed by organization officers. Student Activities Allocation Request Forms completed by the organization advisor will not be considered.
Only organizations adhering to all request guidelines will be considered for funding.
During the two (2) week period leading up to the SAAB meeting, each SAAB member will review and evaluate each request using the Allocations Request Scoring Worksheet.
The organization will be notified of the decision through university email no more than three (3) business days following the meeting.
return to top
Section 3. Event Conclusion Procedures
All unused allocated funds will be returned to SAAB following the event.
Organization’s accounts and spending will be reviewed by the SAAB on a regular basis.
return to top
Section 4. Contingency Fund Requests
Organizations are able to request funds from the contingency fund outside of the scheduled allocation meetings if the organization is new and did not exist at the time of the last allocation meeting and/or a new event opportunity presents itself, and could not reasonably have been seen, after the last allocation meeting and will occur before the upcoming allocation meeting.
Organizations wishing to request funds from the Contingency Fund must complete the Student Activities Allocation Request Form.
The Chair will evaluate Contingency Fund requests, and may confer with other members of SAAB. The organization will be notified of the decision through university email no more than three (3) business days following decision.
return to top
Section 5. Conference Travel Fund
Organizations are able to request funds from the Conference Travel Fund during the regularly scheduled allocation request process.
Requests shall be limited to travel, lodging, and registration expenses for one student member per conference opportunity.
Organizations wishing to request funds from the Conference Travel Fund must complete the Student Activities Allocation Request Form and follow procedures outlined in Article III, Section 2.
return to top
Section 6. Fundraisers and Loans
Requests may be made for events and activities that will generate revenue (i.e., ticket sales, fundraisers, etc.).
Generated revenue will first be used to contribute to the cost of the activity, based on the allocation decision of SAAB. Any remaining revenue can be deposited into the organization’s fundraising account.
Organizations holding fundraisers or collecting money for any reason must deposit the money into the organization’s Fundraising account.
If the allocation decision of SAAB requires that generated funds contribute to the cost of the activity, expenses can be paid from the Fundraising account. Any funds remaining after these obligations have been met will be considered revenue for the organization. If there is not enough revenue to meet these obligations, it will be considered an “outstanding debt” and the organization will be subject to the procedures outlined in Article IV, Section 4.
return to top
Section 7. Exclusions
Funding requests for food that is not integral to the purpose of the event, or “attendance food”, will not be considered.
Funding requests for personal items will not be considered. Personal items include, but not limited to, apparel, promotional items, and gifts for members.
Funding requests for off-campus travel will only be considered for those events which are clearly intrinsic to the stated purpose of the organization.
return to top
Article IV. Account Information and Misappropriation of Funds
Section 1. Account Numbers
Student organizations have two separate accounts with the Business Office – Operating and Fundraising.
Approved funds from SAAB are transferred into the organization’s Operating account. Funds in this account do not carry over from year to year.
A Fundraising account can be requested if the organization is coordinating fundraisers and collecting money. Funds in this account carry over from year to year.
Funds received from SAAB or any University department cannot be transferred into the Fundraising account.
If a student organization is deactivated per procedures outlined in the Student Organization Handbook, all money remaining in the Fundraising account will be forfeited and absorbed into the SAAB Annual Budget.
Organization’s accounts and spending will be reviewed by SAAB on a regular basis.
return to top
Section 2. Financial Procedures
Organizations must follow the financial and spending procedures as outlined in the Student Organization Handbook.
return to top
Section 3. Funding Restrictions
Organizational funds, allocated or generated, may not be used to purchase alcohol.
Organizational funds, allocated or generated, must be kept in a university account.
Organizations may not request funds for a direct donation to a charity. Organizations may request funds for a charity event.
Organizational funds, allocated or generated, may not be used for personal loans or expenditures to benefit a private individual or a private purpose.
University tax exempt certificates may only be used for organization purchases and are not for personal use.
Funds may be expended only for items budgeted for and approved by SAAB.
Organizations must request funds in advance; requests will not be heard for money already spent. Organizations may not commit (by contract or other means) funds which it does not have.
return to top
Section 4. Outstanding Debt
Any organization which incurs an outstanding debt will be subject to the following procedure:
- The organization accounts in question will be frozen until the problem is solved.
- Organization officers/representatives will be called upon to explain the debt and create a plan of debt forgiveness.
- Incurring outstanding debt will result in a suspension of funding for a period of time deemed appropriate by SAAB.
- The organization will be referred to the Student Activities Office and Dean of Student Life for furthering sanctioning. Sanctions will be determined on an individual basis.
return to top
Section 5. Misappropriation of Funds
Any organization found in violation of any SAAB policy, procedure, or ruling will be subject to the following procedure:
- Organization officers/representatives will be called upon to explain the violation.
- All organization accounts, both allocated and generated, will be frozen until the problem is solved.
- Any misused funds will be repaid and returned to SAAB.
- The organization will be referred to the Student Activities Office and Dean of Student Life for furthering sanctioning. Responsible individuals may also face University judicial sanctions. Sanctions will be determined on an individual basis.
- Misappropriation of funds will impact future funding decisions.
return to top
Move to next section: Financial Procedures