ASUP

Associated Students of the University of Portland

Budget

Spring 2021- Pandemic adjusted budgeting process

An overview of the Senate legislation that brought about this change in the Spring funding process, as well as the step by step guide of how to submit a Funding Request on Engage can be found on this ASUP Finance Kickoff 2021 shared by (now elected) ASUP Director of Finance Cole Stoker during a live webinar February 1, 2021. The recording to that webinar, including live Q&A can be viewed here.

Questions? Contact the ASUP Director of Finance

ASUP allocates money to clubs and organizations through several different processes. Each semester, the ASUP Financial Management Board (appointed by the ASUP Director of Finance) constructs a proposed budget based upon the current Finance Committee Policy and interviews requesting clubs and organizations. It is the goal of the Financial Management Board to create a proposed budget that will maximize opportunities for student involvement, support as many clubs & organizations as possible, and only fund activities that will actually happen and be successful.

Budgets

ASUP BUDGETING FAQS

We’ve heard lots of questions and misconceptions this semester about the ASUP budget. We’ve answered the most frequently asked questions to shine a light onto our ASUP budget and the budget process:

~ PART 1: ASUP ~

WHAT IS ASUP?  

Every enrolled student at UP is an Associated Student of the University of Portland (ASUP). As an organization, ASUP exists to provide an organization that represents the needs and interests of students, to develop extracurricular activities, and to foster the recognition of students’ rights and responsibilities.

WHAT GROUPS AND SERVICES ARE IN ASUP?  

ASUP Executive Board, ASUP Senate, Campus Program Board (CPB), ADvantage, ASUP Films, Pilot Express, Pilot Audio Lighting, and Espresso UP

WHO IS THE ASUP SENATE?  

The Senate is a body of students who represent every full-time undergraduate at the University of Portland. It is a legislative body made up of elected representatives from each class and school.

WHO IS THE ASUP EXEC BOARD?  

The Executive Board includes the ASUP President, Vice President, CPB Director, Director of Finance, Director of Communication, and Speaker of the Senate.

~ PART 2: BUDGET ~

WHY IS THERE A BUDGET?  

The ASUP budget funds all ASUP services, CPB, student clubs, and organizations.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? 

Every undergraduate student at the University contribute a Student Activity Fee of $95 per semester. This money generates the ASUP Budget.

WHO DRAFTS THE BUDGET?  

The Financial Management Board (FMB) drafts the ASUP budget.

WHO IS ON FMB?  

FMB is comprised of 9 members and chaired by the Director of Finance. Of the 8 FMB members, there is at least one Club rep and one Senate rep.

HOW DOES FMB ALLOCATE MONEY?  

FMB strives to create a proposed budget that will maximize opportunities for student involvement through supporting as many clubs and student organizations as possible. FMB meets with each club that proposes a budget. Additionally, FMB adheres to the Finance Committee Policy, that standardizes costs such as airfare, hotel rooms, and budgets for food. (Spring 2018 Standardizations)

DOES FMB INTERVIEW CLUBS?  

Any UP club or organization can request money from ASUP. Each semester, FMB meets with every club and organization that requests funding after the club or organization submits their next semester budget in Excel format. Clubs and organizations rank line items in order of priority.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CLUB INTERVIEWS?  

Once meetings with clubs have concluded, FMB makes a set of standards that allocates a certain amount for specific common items that recur in many club budgets such as memberships, referees, plane flights. Once money is allocated based on those standards, FMB reviews all other budget requests and grants money based on the merit and explanation given by those clubs in their meeting. Key points taken into consideration in these meetings include: membership, events, past spending, student/campus benefit, priority, fundraising, and attendance in the FMB meeting.

DOES FMB ALLOCATE ALL POSSIBLE MONIES TO CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS?  

No, FMB sets aside an amount of money called the “Senate Discretionary.” The Senate can allocate this money to clubs who appeal for more funding after the FMB allocation process. FMB also sets aside money for the Opportunity Grant, the New Club Fund, and the Executive Board Discretionary.

This Spring 2020, HOW MANY CLUBS / ORGANIZATIONS APPLIED FOR FALL 2020 FUNDING? 

Over 90 different clubs and organization applied for funding. FMB received their proposal through Engage which included question responses in lieu of interviews due to COVID-19.

LAST FALL, HOW MUCH MONEY DID CLUBS / ORGANIZATIONS REQUEST?  

$560,114.87 (for the Spring 2020 Budget)

LAST FALL, HOW MUCH MONEY DID FMB ALLOCATE?  

$299,700.00 (for the Spring 2020 Budget)

IS THE BUDGET THAT FMB PROPOSES PUBLIC?  

Yes, after FMB proposes the budget, the budget is then sent to each club and to the Senate. Each club has an opportunity to petition to the Senate for additional funding.

IS THE PASSED BUDGET PUBLIC?  

Yes, after the Senate passes the budget, the budget is sent to each club and posted on the ASUP website.

WHO PASSES THE FMB BUDGET?  

Each semester, the Senate passes the budget after a three-week budgeting process. In that budgeting process, Senate reviews the budget proposed by FMB and listens to petitions from clubs for extra funding.

WHERE DOES SENATE MEET?  

Senate meets in DB 135. Each Senator also has two office hours a week in St. Mary’s.

WHEN DOES SENATE MEET?  

Senate meets every Monday at 4:30pm in DB 135. The meetings are open to the student body and everything discussed in the meeting is information for the student body.

IF FMB MAKES THE BUDGET AND SENATE PASSES THE BUGET, HOW IS THE EXECUTIVE BOARD INVOLVED?  

Other than the Director of Finance who chairs FMB, the Executive Board has no role in drafting and passing ASUP budgets.

~ PART 3: PAY ~

WHY ARE ASUP REPRESENATATIVES PAID?  

As an organization dedicated to serving the interests of an increasingly diverse student body, ASUP strives to create opportunities for involvement among historically underrepresented socioeconomic groups. Before the advent of volunteer stipends, those who depended on on-campus employment to help pay for living expenses simply couldn’t be a part of ASUP. Students had to choose between keeping a job to pay for tuition and devoting time to serve their peers. With the addition of volunteer stipends, we hope to see more socioeconomic diversity within ASUP, as we aim to represent the entirety of a diverse student body.

HOW MUCH ARE ASUP SENATORS COMPENSATED?  

ASUP Senators are compensated a volunteer stipend of $550 per semester.

HOW MUCH ARE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS COMPENSATED? 

ASUP Executive Board members are compensated a volunteer stipend of$3,250 per semester.

WERE ASUP REPRESENTATIVES COMPENSATED IN THE PAST? 

Yes, view this chart for more detail: ASUP Historical Exec Board Compensation

ARE ASUP REPRESENTATIVES PAID HOURLY?  

No, ASUP representatives are paid a volunteer stipend. Each representative is compensated for a role, not the amount of time spent doing that role.

DOES ASUP CONTROL THE WAGES OF EVERY UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND STUDENT WORKER?  

No, ASUP (through FMB) controls only the stipends of the Executive Board, Senate, and ASUP Services.

ARE ASUP ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES STUDENT WORKERS?  

No, ASUP Senators and Executive Board members are not hired by the University of Portland. Instead, Senators and Executive Board members are chosen by you—the students of this school—to serve you.

DOES ASUP HIRE STUDENT WORKERS?  

Yes, ASUP and the Vice President hire student workers for ASUP Services. Some of these positions include ASUP Films Director, Pilots Express Director, Pilots Express driver, Espresso UP Director, and ADvantage designer. Contact the ASUP Vice President  for ASUP Service opportunities.

 HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED IN ASUP?  

Contact the Speaker of the Senate, Drew Jones, to learn more about Senate Committee opportunities.

HOW CAN I VOICE MY OPINION?  

We’d love to hear from you! Come visit us in the ASUP Office in St. Mary’s, attend an ASUP Senate Meeting (Mondays at 4:30PM), or send us an email.

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