Hi everyone! Naomi here.
UFB passed a few more policy updates last night, so as always, I’m adding an update here on the website. There were a few internal guidelines used in UFB decision making last year, and as someone who believes in the importance of sticking to a fair policy handbook, I decided to call for a vote to write them in to increase transparency in decision making.
(3) Performance Groups: Performance groups are permitted to request funding for up to two competitions per academic year—one in the Fall and one in the Spring. However, approval of these requests will take into consideration factors such as the total costs, the proximity of the competition to Brown's campus, associated travel expenses, and past performance needs. Groups should be mindful that funding for competitions is not guaranteed, and all requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. It is recommended that groups plan their competition schedules and budgets accordingly to align with these considerations for a smoother approval process.
(4) International Travel: UFB will not fund international travel under any circumstances. Since the fund surplus of 2022, UFB has been unable to allocate funds for international travel due to significantly reduced financial resources and increased external fees outside of our control. The current level of the Student Activities Fund provided by the University does not support reinstating the precedent of funding international travel. UFB will not consider any requests for international travel, regardless of the cost or details provided. Please note that all student groups traveling internationally since 2022 have done so without UFB funding, and this policy will remain strictly enforced.
(5) Spending Cap for Student Worker Compensation: Groups may request funding for student workers (photographers, videographers, stage managers) up to $200 per individual per academic year. Requests are subject to UFB’s discretionary review based on event needs and budget constraints. Requests exceeding the cap must include justifications and will be evaluated case by case, as funding is not guaranteed. This policy excludes Category 4 groups.
For (3), we wanted to write in a concrete policy to allow performance groups to have a better idea of what we are looking for in a budget request. Transparency is important to us, and this policy should help in creating requests.
For (4), we wanted to clear up any chance of having a misunderstanding between us and groups about international travel. We have not funded international travel since 2022 and cannot afford to fund it this year, nor did we fund it last year. If a club has travelled internationally since 2022, it was completely self-funded and UFB has not awarded any extra funds for it.
For (5), this was another obscure internal guideline that UFB used last year during funding decisions. I believe it is unfair to clubs to conceal any rule we use to make decisions, so we wrote it into policy. In general, given that student photographers/videographers/stage managers are hired for only a few hours, SAO’s minimum wage is $14, and clubs have requested roughly $200 in the past for these services, we came to the conclusion that $200 would be a fair payment to students.
Thank you for the time you took in reading this far!
Naomi