Hi everyone, Naomi here.
UFB had our first Policy edit of the year yesterday. We added a section to our Handbook titled VII: General Guidelines — this allows us to standardize our rulings and maintain fairness across all student group categories. Check the update below:
Preamble: This section is a living document and is subject to change as UFB continues to hold policy meetings and as new votes are passed. The guidelines outlined here reflect the current considerations for groups’ events and funding, but adjustments may be made based on future decisions by the Board. We encourage all groups to regularly check our policy document to stay informed about any updates or changes that may affect your event planning and funding requests.
(1) Food: When planning events involving food, groups should be mindful of UFB's specific guidelines outlined in this Handbook. UFB will generally be more open to funding food expenses up to $15 per person for events. Requests exceeding this amount will be treated as exceptions and considered on a case-by-case basis. It is recommended that groups plan their budgets accordingly to align with this guideline and ensure a smoother approval process.
(2) Off-campus: For off-campus travel, groups may request funding for up to 10% of their total club membership to participate in the event. However, this is not a guaranteed provision, and requests exceeding this threshold will be treated as exceptions. Groups seeking additional support for larger travel parties should be prepared to provide a strong rationale for the necessity of exceeding the 10% guideline.
For (1), a $12 cost per person had been an internal guideline, but was never written into our Policy by our prior Chair. We raised the maximum cost to $15, and wrote it into Policy for increased transparency.
For (2), we wanted to have something written down that accommodates for competition travel, conference travel, and general off-campus events. We believe that 10% is a fair proportion (as “membership” can range in activity).
Thanks everyone — if you’ve got any questions, feel free to email me or your Rep!