From Student Senate Chair Brian Orser at 11:29 pm, September 21 [my emphasis supplied]:

Pitzer students:

Every year, Student Government funds all of Pitzer's clubs, organizations, Hall Councils, the Grove House, the Gold Student Center, and Pact, among others. These monies amount to two hundred and fourteen thousand dollars, and are drawn from the Student Activites Fees portion of your tuition. The students of Pitzer College find themselves in a remarkable and fortunate position, having secured almost complete control over the funding of student life and its improvement. It is because of the unique and progressive history of the College that we have the possibility of this financial self-government; however, this history alone is not a guarantee that these funds will be distributed in a communal, rational and successful way.

At the end of last year, the previous Budgetary Subcommittee of Student Senate budgeted out this year's money. Unfortunately, there were various oversights and mistakes made in the process of this budgeting, resulting in the exclusion of several clubs from the budget, and the distribution of what would have been their funding to other clubs and organizations. Among the clubs excluded were Grill Masters, the Empowered Women of Color, Tutors for a Cause and Pitzer Reggae Festival. Moreover, the Student Senate Budgetary By-Laws expressly stipulate that the incoming Budgetary Subcommittee decide the pro forma budget jointly with the incumbent Subcommittee; regrettably, this participation was prevented. This fact, in combination with mistakes made on behalf of the excluded student groups, made possible the current financial crisis.

Because the combined funding requests of these excluded groups are in the thousands, this occasion presents a crisis, both for the clubs and for the Student Government. To remedy the situation, the Student Government could fund the groups out of the Student Senate Discretionary Fund, which is the money we keep apart for the ongoing funding of student life throughout the year; this alone, however, would more than empty our coffers for the entire semester. Because the thousands of dollars which would have normally been allocated to Reggae Fest, Empowered Women of Color and Grill Masters have been distributed among the other clubs, the idea was brought forth of a small tax levied on all Senate-funded groups, to help recoup the misplaced funding. Though it would be an easy fix, this was rejected out of hand as indiscriminate and unsophisticated. It was suggested we open the opportunity for groups on campus to exercise their good will, voluntarily contributing funds to these affected groups, and hopefully returning them to their appropriate standing; as attractive as was this proposition, it was realized that this alone could not recoup the thousands of dollars needed, and that it would result in certain asymmetries. There is, of course, the unacceptable option of turning away these four student groups, leaving them with the project of recovering the misplaced funds from the various organizations and councils on campus which were the benefactors of this error. We are left with one decent way out of this mess, though it is the way out that will require the most cooperative, civil, communal, and thus difficult response to the problem. It was decided on Friday, at the Student Senate, that the Student Government must facilitate a community Budget Summit. These budgeting errors could have been corrected by the current Executive Board, or by Student Senate, in what would have been a much simpler and more conventional process. The Senate decided, however, that it is most important that the student body as a whole direct the redistribution of funds so as to achieve the fairest result.

The Summit will be held

4:00-6:00 PM Thursday, September 24th

Gold Student Center Multipurpose Room

Every Senate-funded entity on campus which received more than one thousand dollars (listed below) will send a representative, who will:

· present the group’s proposed itemized budget for this year, and

· explain in some detail these expected expenditures, and

· be prepared to answer specific questions regarding such expenditures

The community will then discuss each group’s budget and informally vote to determine appropriate funding. This process should return normalcy to the budget while increasing openness and transparency. Any group which desires to donate to these four impoverished student groups may also do so at this time. If later in the semester any student group should require further funding, the Student Senate will make every effort to provide for them. The results of the Summit will be approved by Senate thereafter.

It is regrettable that we should have to work to recover from last year’s errors, but I think we might find in this an opportunity for us to truly engage with the budgeting of our Student Activities Fees. Perhaps this coming together will also allow for a dialogue around our needs and priorities as a student body. Let us all practice patience, and seek camaraderie as we shuffle around a few thousand dollars of the two hundred grand we are given this year.

Please contact me with any questions, either by phone or via email.

With respect, and my apologies,

Brian Orser

Student Body President

Pitzer College c/o 2011

Social Ecology

831.818.5994

This Summit will not affect Hall Councils, nor the First-Year, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Transfer, or NRS Class Funds.

Affected Groups:

• Art Collective
• Asian and Pacific American Coalition
• Black Student Union
• Dining with Democracy
• Ecology Center
• Feminist Coalition
• Garden
• Gold Student Center
• Grove House Committee
• Kohoutek
• Latino Student Union
• Music Coalition
• The Otherside
• Pitzer Outdoor Adventures
• Queer and Allies Club
• SAC
• Shakedown Café
• LOVE (for free)
• Green Bike Program