FiCom Meetings, Spring 2011 Minutes

= Monday, May 9  =

Agenda:


 * Final Review Funding Requests
 * Final Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Recap: SJP Meeting
 * Meeting with COCA on Friday
 * Reminder: Change of Thank-you brunch date (to the 12th)
 * Hoodies at Commencement
 * Goals for FiCom Next Semester
 * Ananda: a brief history of FiCom

- Today is the Last Meeting of the Semester

Last zoho of the semester!


 * Submitted
 * Trips
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Eastern Conference for Workplace Democracy
 * 100 per person, two people.
 * Approved: Assuming risk assessment was completed.
 * Pending
 * Misc.
 * Rehamping
 * Requested gas money for a trip to buy wood for the Div III showcase
 * Total of $76.50
 * Denied: To get gas money (or any money) you need to submit ahead of time. In this case, it would have been under trips.
 * Trips
 * ISO
 * Two trips were requested.
 * There was a miscommunication with this request.
 * Denied at the request of signer
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Denied: Haven't heard back, last meeting, after the departure date.
 * Fund Transfers
 * JSU
 * Requesting a fund transfer to spiritual life for an event before.
 * We had been unsure about this being approved ahead of time
 * '''Approved

Probation

Probation means we should be watching requests carefully, not blocking funding, while continued breach of funding policy would result in limiting access to the SAF. We discussed this with SJP last Friday, and apologized for what they've gone through with regard to this. We hope we can help regarding funding policies next year, and want to work closely with their signers next semester.

Meeting with COCA soon 

Our communication with COCA hasn't been fantastic this year, we're hoping to meet up with them before the end of the year (fast approaching!)

Goals for the coming year


 * Work with COCA very closely
 * Go over ambiguous SAF guidelines, make sure everything is clear.
 * Involving activist groups more
 * Develop more concrete policies for funding
 * Better zoho
 * More mutual understanding on Ficom about or policies
 * Lower the contingency fund
 * Navigate funding with the new student government body.

Ficom History Lesson with Ananda


 * SAF guidelines
 * Based on the history of how Ficom had been making decisions in the past, without having written it down.
 * First paragraph about discretion is important - rules may need to be flexible to serve students best.
 * Probation is important, especially because things that punish student groups don't often affect the signers that have made these mistakes.
 * Guidelines, like bylaws perhaps should not be edited very often, because the reason gets off.
 * Summer trips - not actually in the SAF guidelines.
 * Not funding summer stuff has been a general unspoken rule, unless groups push to involve people outside of the group during the trip.
 * Moving forward
 * How to support new student groups
 * they die off a lot
 * We need to be sure that students understand how funding works.
 * There are probably other issues for new student groups, too
 * New governance/SGA
 * It's important to hold on to the things that do work well, when restructuring happens.
 * Ficom is a useful body because it does not have as high turnover as Community Council - people who are experienced are able to pass along their knowledge to new ficom members.
 * Ficom Structure
 * Voting vs Non-voting members
 * Voting members have three meetings in a row, so people don't join for a certain decision
 * Hearing all voices, coming to consensus is very important.
 * Voting, historically, has not been as important because of this.
 * Still, it appears that non-voting members are unimportant, so people may not join, or feel involved.
 * Number of members
 * About how many can have their voice heard effectively
 * How COCA Was Born
 * Ficom couldn't deal with all the events, and COCA was born.
 * The idea from Ficom was to treat other subcommittees and community council like student groups
 * This is to avoid some sketchy politics
 * Trips that seem a lot like gifts
 * We've had a couple of difficult trip decisions recently.
 * Issues of open, accessible funding

= Thursday, May 5  =

Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * FiCom Inbox - Final Follow-up with all groups
 * Last meetings with signers (EPEC?)
 * Reminder: Change of Thank-you brunch date (to the 12th)
 * Hoodies at Commencement (get concrete list of volunteers)
 * Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)
 * Reminders from Melanie

- Today is the last day we are officially approving funding requests

Attendance : Melanie, Connie, James, Erik, Nathan, Nelson

Hoodies

Erik, Sarah, and maybe Melanie will be avaliable for signer hoodie sales at commencement.

Visitors

An EPEC instructor came in to clarify his request for concrete and gardening tools. He clarified that the tools would be used during the summer and also by a newly recognized student group in the fall. They had recieved partial funding from COCD, but came to us for this chunk of money.

Funding


 * Requests
 * Misc
 * Primitive Skills
 * Requesting one of two DVDs for END:CIV, an institutional copy for the library or a normal copy for their group.
 * Approved: $25 for a standard copy of the DVD plus shipping &amp; handling.
 * Rehamping
 * Requesting money for gas, which had been used driving in order to pick up materials for the Div III showcase.
 * Pended: We are unsure if it's appropriate to fund gas money for things like this, and will consult the CLA.
 * Trips
 * ISO
 * This possible duplicate request for the summer trip has not been cleared up. We had left it up from last week, but are unsure what to do now.
 * Pended: Until we hear back, there's nothing we can do with this request.
 * Equipment
 * Hampshire College Fencing
 * Requesting replacement electric reels- these are used to connect the fencer to the scoring machine, and the previous ones recently broke.
 * Approved: $767
 * Greenhouse
 * Requesting a variety of plants to go in the greenhouse.
 * Approved: $500
 * Hampedia Project
 * Requesting money to send mailers with stickers to new students, informing them about hampedia, hoping that they'll be involved before even arriving on campus.
 * Approved: $458
 * Additional Food
 * Re-rad
 * Requesting food funding for their next two meetings (last of the year)
 * Approved: $90
 * Community Garden
 * Requesting food funding for their next meetings
 * Approved: $10
 * Fund Transfers
 * Community Council
 * Requesting fund transfers to Spring Jam for a grilled cheese event paid for previously, and to New Student programs because the brunch bagels were purchased on that P-card
 * Originally, we pended this out of confusion, but it's now been approved.
 * Approved: $196 to new student programs, $300 to spring jam
 * JSU
 * Resubmission of the Tallit-making workshop transfer request. We had been unsure if this was approved by COCA, but they did not recieve an email.
 * Pended: An email has been sent now, we hope to hear back.
 * Pending
 * Trips
 * Slam collective
 * Completed risk assessment.
 * Approved: $500 for Trip to the National Poetry Slam on 08.09.2011 - 08.13.2011
 * Equipment
 * EPEC
 * This is what we'd just spoken to the instructor about, the total came out to a bit more than requested. for Community Market Garden Construction
 * Approved: $625

= Monday, May 2  =

Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Upcoming Meetings
 * Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)
 * To-dos: Contact ISO (Re: Trip &amp; Fundraising), Contact SJP (Re: Meeting), Sports-Coop Letter

Attendance : Erik, Nelson, Nathan, Sarah, Melanie &amp; Connie

Absent : Nick, Chema


 * Submitted
 * Misc
 * Blacksmiths Guild
 * On the shop manager's suggestion, the guild wants to zero out their account by purchasing a new propane tank with funds previously approved for propane.
 * Denied: Accounts are not meant to be emptied out at the end of the semester, and the SAF funding must be student initiated.
 * Trips
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Going to a conference for groups starting up co ops.
 * Approved: $200
 * ISO
 * There is a duplicate of the trip submitted before.
 * Left alone for discussion: an email is being sent to the signers, because this is very confusing.
 * SOURCE Coalition
 * Reworded their request from previously, making it better match their mission statement.
 * The substance of this is still the same.
 * Brought to a vote: 1 abstained, 2 deny, 2 approve. Director broke the tie, denying the request.
 * Denied: See previous notes.
 * Equipment
 * Community Garden
 * Requesting new equipment for the community garden
 * Approved: $150
 * Publication requests
 * The Omen
 * Approved $336
 * Extra food
 * The Omen
 * expecting a larger turnout for their last meeting, and need to
 * Approved: $48
 * Pending
 * Misc.
 * Climbers coalition
 * Requested punch cards a very long time ago.
 * Denied: This is a very old request and we haven't heard back, please resubmit if it is important.
 * Equipment
 * Community Garden
 * Previously pended because the signer did not match the one on our lists. This has been fixed
 * Approved: $150 for gardening supplies.
 * Fund Transfers
 * JSU
 * Previously pended for clarification on original funding.
 * Denied: This is very old and we haven't heard back, please resubmit if this is important.

= Thursday, April 28  =

Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Violation of Funding Probation
 * Sports-Coop
 * SGA Review
 * Early Arrivals (Approved!)
 * Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Melanie (late) &amp; Chema Caillet-Bois (2nd mtg)


 * Absent: Connie (excused) &amp; Erik

Minutes:

Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * Community Council
 * Grilled Cheese at Spring Jam
 * Cheese and Bread!
 * This was approved in the Council meeting
 * APPROVED: $300
 * Community Council
 * Two ink cartridges
 * They're running out!
 * Spring Jam reports will be in soon...
 * APPROVED: $140
 * Trip Requests
 * International Socialist Organization
 * Chicago Summer Trip
 * Asking for another chunk of money?
 * What is this? More attendees?
 * PENDED: We've asked them to come in to speak with us.
 * Equipment Requests
 * Magic Draft
 * A set of cards for their games
 * They say that they will store it in the C2 Lounge, this is problematic
 * We hope for these cards to be reused in the fall, as there will be only a few meetings 'til the end of the year
 * APPROVED: $120 - also, they need to store these in the CLA basement
 * Fencing Club
 * This is the second half of the funding that they asked for last semester.
 * It includes equipment for repairs and more uniforms
 * This will be stored in their lockers at the RCC
 * APPROVED: $848 - please update your "Inventory" on Hampedia
 * Excalibur
 * Chalk for their annual chalking
 * Please, follow college chalking policies
 * APPROVED: $50
 * Community Garden
 * Clippers, wheelbarrow, loppers, spades and pitchforks
 * The person that submitted this request is not a listed signer
 * PENDED: Either have a club signer submit this, or update Hampedia &amp; Fill out the change of signers form if you are...
 * Food Requests
 * Hampshire Confucius
 * Two more meetings of foodstuffs
 * APPROVED: $80
 * Sexperts
 * They're asking for $60 for 10 people
 * This is for their final meeting, to have a dinner
 * Throughout the semester, they don't use any food funding
 * APPROVED: $40 - we can not break our funding cap (too much)

Pended Funding Requests


 * NecroCinema Film Collective
 * We have not heard back from them for months
 * If they would still like this funding, they should resubmit it
 * DENIED
 * Community Council
 * Thank you Brunch
 * It was approved in Community Council meeting
 * Chameleon Club
 * Risk Assessment is DONE
 * It's a tad over our trip cap.. so we're approving our trip cap!
 * They asked for food, which we can not approve
 * APPROVED: $1,600
 * EPEC
 * Supplies for an EPEC that happened this semester
 * We don't really fund retroactively, so what do we do?
 * Was this one person buying these items?
 * PENDING

THREE FiCom Meetings Remaining

On Monday, May 9th, we'll send out a Doodle Poll and judge the times at which people can meet next semester, and before the semester. All funding requests shall be processed by Thursday, May 5th. Signer hoodie distribution will also end by the 5th.

Monday, April 25
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Meeting with Marie ReCap (Melanie and Connie)
 * Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)

Attendance: Sarah, Nelson, Melanie, Nathan, Chema (left early, first meeting again)

Absent: Erik, James

Minutes

Zoho


 * Misc Requests
 * Mixed nuts
 * $ 35 x 4 people ($140 total) to go to a business planning workshop.
 * Sounds a lot like a trip.
 * Denied: Please resubmit (yay! quickly!) in the trip category if this is a trip.
 * Community Council
 * Requesting $343 for community brunch
 * This seems like an event, maybe it should be submitted under COCA.
 * If this was a student event, we would expect them to submit it under COCA.
 * This event/spending situation is not within the window for COCA requests.
 * Discussion of our rules/guidlines (are they arbitrary) and COCA vs. Ficom territory.
 * Pended for further discussion.
 * SJP
 * They've done a lot of advertising, and want to be paid back for the semester's worth of printing.
 * We only fund advertising as it comes along, not as a lump sum at the end for accountability reasons.
 * "Quality print jobs," which we assume to be colored copies (at $0.40 per page) generally would not be funded in the first place.
 * Denied: $140 because we cannot fund retroactively at the end of the semester.
 * Trip Requests
 * SOURCE coalition (previously the cultural center student group)
 * They have a list of 36 people (signers) who they want to show appreciation for by taking them on a trip to six flags.
 * Signers work hard, but the SAF can not be for anything like gift to show appreciation of hard work
 * The SOURCE groups are trying to become a stronger community and this could be a positive way to come together.
 * While the trip could be a bonding experience, it would need to be for future signers (the current list includes graduating seniors &amp; people not signing next semester)
 * Closed groups should recieve equal funding, but this is for specific individuals (signers)
 * SOURCE coalition does aim to facilitate communication between SOURCE groups.
 * Denied: $996 Contact ficom for detailed explanation.
 * Red Scare
 * They qualified for regionals! Congratulations!
 * They need entry fees
 * Approved: $350
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Same request as before, but it's in the right place now!
 * Pended for risk assessment.
 * Equipment
 * Counselor Advocates
 * Requesting a floor lamp.
 * This will be kept in the Community Health Collaborative.
 * Doesn't the CHC have lamps?
 * Denied: $35 The responsibility of the space is the CHC's, not the student groups.
 * Publication Requests
 * The Omen
 * This is retroactive funding, the signer submitted this late, and it's really concerning.
 * $280, the same as we have been funding throughout the semester.
 * The signer had reason to expect we would approve this, and it seems like a one-off mistake.
 * Approved: $280 but we will deny if this happens again.

Thursday, April 21
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Hoodies at Commencement
 * FiCom Early Arrivals
 * Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)

Attendance: Sarah, Nelson, Nathan, Melanie, Connie &amp; James (Erik was late)

Absent: Erik &amp; Chema

Minutes

Zoho


 * Current
 * Equipment
 * EPEC
 * Requesting $575 for gardening equipment for a Market Garden.
 * This is a bit confusing so far in the semester.
 * Hampshire might have much of this equipment somewhere else.
 * PENDED: Hoping for clarification regarding this.
 * Additional Food
 * HCEMS
 * Money for their last meeting of the year
 * APPROVED: $72
 * Fund Transfers
 * Shake and Bake
 * They have been using the Merrill P-card all semester, want to transfer the money from their account to the office pay for this.
 * This is a really tricky thing, and we want to avoid groups doing this in the past.
 * APPROVED: $72 $75.00 written up - mj
 * Pending
 * Trips
 * Samba &amp; Capoeira Group
 * They've gotten risk assessment
 * APPROVED: $1000

Member stuff:

Nick hasn't been here for forever. We're told he's quit, but since he didn't send an email to the ficom inbox, so we have to officially remove him from ficom.

Sarah moves to remove him, Nathan seconds.

Early Arrivals

We show up early in the year to work on signer orientation and set up the budget. This is in progress.

Hoodies:

We have a lot of extra hoodies, we need to make back some of the cost by selling them at commencement to family and friends of students. Melanie, Sarah and Erik will be at the table, as of now.

Reimbursement for student groups:

College Democrats has members who spent $20 to register for a conference on their own credit cards. The funds had been approved from ficom, but the trip was called off, and now the students are out $20. This is not advised, and the CLA is unsure if they can be reimbursed. For trips and major purchases, it's advised to use the CLA P-card. For this particular case, we have decided to reimburse the students, but it's really concerning, and groups should not expect this to happen if they take this risk. If it happens again to the same group, there will be no reimbursement.

Monday, April 18
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)

Attendance : James, Nathan, Nelson, Connie, Erik &amp; Chema (second meeting)

Absent : Sarah, Melanie

Minutes

End of year Brunch 

We discussed who to thank at an end of year Brunch put on by Community Council.

Funding Requests

Misc


 * In Solidarity With Immigrants
 * Want money for speakers
 * We looked at this last time, the request should have gone to COCA
 * DENIED: This is an event, belongs to COCA.
 * COCA
 * COCA requested $4000, hoping for any money we have to spare so that they can fund some more things.
 * We have some extra in the SAF.
 * APPROVED: $4000
 * Community Council
 * They need money for stipends
 * This was voted on in council.
 * APPROVED: $4000

Trip Requests


 * Red Scare Ultimate Frisbee
 * This was a trip to men's sectionals last weekend.
 * The request was submitted earlier, but we had been unable to make a decision on this due to a lack of quorum.
 * This was not, however, before the 2 week deadline for trip requests.
 * APPROVED: $196
 * Samba &amp; Capoeira Group
 * Requesting $1085
 * May 6-8, want to go to a capoeira event at a farm.
 * PENDED for risk assessment.
 * Slam Collective
 * Requesting $500 to go to Nationals during the summer.
 * Ficom has traditionally funded this, given that it is a culmination of the team's efforts over the year.
 * PENDED for risk assessment

Equipment


 * In Solidarity With Immigrants
 * Want art supplies for community outreach
 * APPROVED: $120

Publication


 * The Climax
 * The next issue is coming out, they need money.
 * APPROVED: $422.15

Additional Food Requests


 * COCA
 * Want food for their meetings for the next three weeks.
 * APPROVED : $162
 * Asian Media
 * Want food for their meetings for the next three weeks
 * APPROVED: $81
 * JSU
 * This is money for future Shabbats, but they are also planning a 'themed meeting.'
 * This meeting is a Shabbat at the Yiddish book center.
 * In order have Shabbat there, they need to pay the yiddish book center's mashgiach.
 * This is tricky territory, because contracts need to go through COCA
 * PARTIALLY APPROVED: $180

Transfer Requests


 * Chameleon Club
 * Requesting to transfer $1719 to spiritual life center.
 * The spring break New Orleans service project was paid by spiritual life.
 * APPROVED: $1719
 * JSU
 * Requesting to transfer $119.62
 * Spiritual life purchased fringes for a Tallit making workshop.
 * PENDED: We want to make sure they got this money approved ahead of time by COCA, it's not clear.
 * Hampshire Confucius
 * Wants to transfer their food funding to the spiritual life office, which has been making their food purchases.
 * APPROVED: $75

Pending Requests

Misc.


 * Climber's Coalition
 * Punch cards requested a while ago.
 * They would be used for group outings.
 * PENDED (still) we're concerned that there's a risk assessment issue, important to talk to PAM.
 * JSU
 * Duplicate request for food funding and their special Yiddish book center meeting.
 * DENIED: We took care of the more up to date request.

Thursday, April 14
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)

Reminders from Sarah: * Send an email to listserve about hoodies * Put updated budget numbers in inbox * Meet with Pam at 1:15 on Friday * Put sign on door - not meeting Monday

Attendance : James, Erik, Connie &amp; Chema (first meeting)

Absent: Sarah, Nathan, Nelson, Melanie, Nick


 * That's not enough to make decisions on funding.

Minutes:

Signers came in to talk to us


 * New Leaf came in to talk about finding a storage space for reusable dishes and where exactly storage lockers are.
 * Samba &amp; Capoeira Group came in to talk about funding for a trip they hope to go on.
 * Chema is also from Climbers Coalition, he says the punch cards that have been in pending were for group trips, so we should deal with that once we have a full meeting.

Funding Requests


 * We are only looking through these to find anything that is going to be an issue if it can't be sorted out before our next meeting.
 * Frisbee is going to Amherst this weekend. This needs to be sorted out somehow, as we can't approve the trip as things are.

Monday, April 11
Agenda:


 * Elections for Fall 2011 Officers
 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests (Inbox)
 * Chameleon Club Trip
 * Updated Budget Numbers
 * FiCom Scheduling + other updates (JSU)
 * Stipends ( Community Council this Tuesday, the 12th )
 * -- Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Melanie, Connie &amp; Erik

Minutes:

Elections for Fall 2011 Officers

Description of each position has been described, and the people who desired each position stepped up and made their claims.

Sarah motions for Sarah to become the FiCom Advisor, Erik seconds.

Nelson motions for Melanie to become the FiCom Director, Sarah seconds.

James motions for Nathan to become the Financial Director, Sarah seconds.

Sarah motions for Nelson to become the Director of Council Relations, Connie seconds.

Sarah motions for Connie to become the Community Liaison, Melanie seconds.

Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * Red Scare
 * Tournament bid for upcoming competition
 * April 16-17 at Amherst College
 * We are unsure if they're done risk assessment, as it was filled out in an alternate form, this should be submitted under Trip Requests, so we see all that information.
 * DENIED: Fill out in Trip Request form. Fund transfer written up - but denied here?? - please advise - mj
 * Bart's Arm
 * Instructional video on drawing and painting (realist techniques)
 * It will be kept in their group's locked space
 * APPROVED: $65
 * Jewish Student Union
 * $240 for 4 weeks of Shabbat Dinners
 * This part of the request needs to be submitted under Food Funding
 * $100 for Mashgiach, an observer to ensure Kashrut is be kept
 * Why is the last one being done at the Yiddish Book Center?
 * A contract request form must be submitted to hire someone, which turns it into an event.
 * PENDED: Submit the last part of this request to CoCA.
 * Food Funding
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Meeting food for the rest of the semester.
 * APPROVED: $220
 * ASL Collective
 * Meeting food for the rest of the semester.
 * APPROVED: $60
 * Fund Transfers
 * Sports Co-op
 * Transferring funds to OPRA to pay for hotel and cross country tournament fees.
 * Total is $919.54
 * In the past, they have not been aware that they can use OPRA's P-Card.
 * APPROVED: $920 transferred to OPRA. Approved but no fund transfer written up?? - please advise if on hold or ?? - mj

Pended Requests


 * NecroCinema Film Collective
 * They updated their meeting information on Hampedia
 * The funds requested were for posters to advertise three screenings.
 * Does this seem like a lot for posters?
 * Has the planned time for the event passed already?
 * PENDED: Answer above questions.
 * Chameleon Club
 * The CLA and the signers believe this to be an event, but we are not sure what the rationale behind this is.
 * They have written that they will force people to attend their two fundraisers in order for them to be able to attend.
 * PENDED: Continue doing Risk Assessment.
 * NecroCinema Film Collective
 * 25 big posters, $3 each for big graphically designed posters
 * DENIED: We can not fund more then $0.03 per poster.

An Update on Our Budget

There is currently no contingency account, instead, the money from the supposed contingency account is in the Student Activities Fund account. However, FiCom will not be able to touch the last $50k of the SAF until Council approves it.

The business office is a tad backed up with the "little things," so there may be $10k less than these projections.

In total, including the "Contingency Fund" the SAF is at $83,000. When you subtract $50k, for contingency, we have about $33k. Furthermore, subtract about $10k, due to Business Office backups. In a conservative amount, we have a bit less than $20k less than, outside of contingency, for the rest of the semester.

Sports Co-op Chit-chat

This semester, we might not be able to continue trying to find Institutional Funding for the Sports Co-op. Next semester, however, that should be a main priority, as about $43k has been put into sports funding for this 2010-2011 academic year.

Thursday, April 7
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests (Inbox)
 * Updated Budget Numbers
 * FiCom Scheduling
 * Stipends ( Community Council this Tuesday, the 12th )
 * -- Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Melanie, Erik (late) &amp; Connie (late)


 * Absent: Nick

Minutes:

Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * Rehamping
 * The NEW Map (located at the library)
 * Many students have been asking for it!
 * The Dean of Students Office has dedicated $500
 * There is a pending request for money from the CLA
 * They would like to receive the rest of the funding from FiCom
 * APPROVED: $580
 * Local Foods Initiative
 * Itemized list of food and items for Spring Jam event
 * CoCA is the one that must provide this funding!
 * DENIED: Contact CoCA
 * Trip Requests
 * Chameleon Club
 * Adrenaline Rush (May 7th)
 * Ziplining! 16 projected students to attend.
 * $1867.44 is actually the total amount (for all 16 people)
 * We can not fund food on a trip, if you would like to have a meeting with food, please submit a separate request as food funding
 * How will outreach be done for this?
 * They are in the middle of Risk Assessment
 * PENDED: Mostly due to Risk Assessment.
 * Contra Dance Collective
 * New England Folk Festival
 * Gas: 188 miles x $0.51 = $96
 * Admission: 2 students x $60 = $120
 * APPROVED: $216
 * Anarchist Studies
 * Pam emailed us, they have finished Risk Assessment.
 * Gas: 500 miles x $0.51
 * APPROVED: $255
 * Equipment Requests
 * HCEMS
 * 23 Binders - $1.59 each
 * 1 large binder - $7.49
 * This will be used at EMT Training
 * Should they submit a monthly budget?
 * APPROVED: $47
 * Publication Requests
 * The Omen
 * For the next issue of the Omen.
 * APPROVED: $225
 * Food Funding
 * Excalibur
 * $180 per meeting/60 students
 * APPROVED: $720 for the next 4 meetings
 * Counselor Advocates
 * $33 per meeting/11 students
 * APPROVED: $132 for the next 4 meetings
 * The Omen
 * $30 per meeting
 * APPROVED: $120 for the next 4 meetings
 * Re-Rad
 * $45 per meeting/15 students
 * APPROVED: $180 for the next 4 meetings
 * Students for the Freedom to Unionize
 * $15 per meeting/10 students
 * Thank you for spending so little per meeting!
 * APPROVED: $60 forr the next 4 meetings
 * Hampshire Union of Activists
 * 5 students per meeting, no amount designated
 * We will provide them with the trip cap amount
 * APPROVED: $30 for their next two meetings

Contra Dance Collective comes in for a chit-chat

Originally, as they initially requested, they had a big group ready to go to this folk festival. However, as time passed, many backed out, leaving only 3 attendees (only 2 Hampshire Students).

They have cancelled their hotel reservations, as they will stay with a friend, and they are taking their own car (with a defensive driver), so they would like gas reimbursement and the cost for admission for the two Hampshire Students.

FiCom Meeting Scheduling

Sarah and Nelson will not be here on the Thurday, April 14th meeting. Melanie will facilitate this meeting. Due to Passover, and an abundance of absent members, the Monday, April 14th meeting will be cancelled. Due to Presidential Search Committee meetings, Sarah may also miss future meetings.

We plan to end our FiCom meetings, this semester, by May 9th. After elections (next Monday), we will submit a list to Pam of FiCom members who will be allowed to enter Hampshire College on Sept. 1st.

Monday, April 4
Agenda:


 * FiCom Attendance
 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Spring Jam Budget Review
 * Sport Co-op Discussion
 * Stipends
 * COCA's Zoho?
 * -- Continued hoodie distribution (also for Fall 2010 Signers)

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Nick, Melanie, Connie &amp; Erik

Minutes:

Attendance: Connie will not be here next week! (in the future, this is how we would like to keep track of those who will not be able to attend meetings.

International Socialist Organization comes in for a chit-chat

They came in and gave a short description of their trip. The entire trip cost is $2,800, and they are interested in fundraising half of the trip. It's about 20 people going, and they are going to squish into 3 rooms. Everyone will be at different locations, as it will be over the summer, so they have decided to budget for a baseline bus ticket, and some people may have to subsidize their tickets.

They have come up with a list of fundraising possibilities, and most seem to revolve around asking for donations. The funding request submitted on Zoho is actually not updated, and will reflect bringing 20 people.

As we don't have an explicit policy against summer trips, they can not be affected by a retroactive policy change. Also, they gave a very good presentation on how they would like to bring some information back.

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * COCD
 * This semester's funds, as allotted by the Council bylaws.
 * APPROVED: $20,000
 * Trip Requests
 * International Socialist Organization
 * As per our discussion, we will approve half of their trip cost to Chicago this summer for the Socialist Conference.
 * APPROVED: $1,400
 * Contra Dance Collective
 * New England Folk Festival (Apr. 15-17)
 * Trip for 3 people, one is not a Hampshire student
 * $89 for two nights of lodging
 * $60 for admission for each person
 * There is a concern that this is a large amount of money for a small amount of people. Although we have made exceptions in the past, they have been for larger groups.
 * PENDED: We should chit-chat about fundraising possibilities
 * Equipment Requests
 * HCEMS
 * Bike Parts
 * We hope for these to last at least a year, it would be interesting to know about the history of the bikes they currently use.
 * APPROVED: $202
 * HCEMS
 * A signer came in and discussed the items that they need to have refilled by their bootcamp date. It is all very standard, and FiCom does this almost every semester. It usually does not exceed a couple hundred dollars.
 * APPROVED: $350
 * Food Funding Requests
 * The Climax
 * $35 per meeting/20 people
 * APPROVED: $140 for the next 4 meeting

Pended Funding Requests


 * Contra Dance Collective
 * They have two requests in pending, however, they were both duplicate requests to the one we approved today.
 * COCA
 * This is their Spring Jam budget. We reviewed a budget breakdown of this in the email, and it is very on point with their initial budget request at the beginning of this semester.
 * ALSO, just to note, all of the contracts are IN for Spring Jame (a MONTH in advance)
 * APPROVED: $29,000.00

Discussion about Sports Co-op next semester

We are concerned about funding sports, and how the staff and the signers do not seem to have a clear way of holding accountable who is responsible for turning in all the proper forms.

Upcoming FiCom Elections

Next week! (would you like to come in and stare at our process?)

Thursday, March 31
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Stipends
 * Group Recognition
 * COCA's Zoho?
 * -- Continued hoodie distribution

Attendance:

Sarah,, Melanie &amp; Connie. Nelson (super late)


 * Absent: Nick, James, Nathan, &amp; Erik

Minutes

Review of Funding requests

Submitted


 * Misc. Requests
 * Equestrian Team
 * Qualified for regionals, need coaching fees.
 * Approved $150.00 Congratulations
 * Equipment requests
 * Amnesty International
 * Wrote lots of letters, requesting
 * Approved: $23.00
 * Publication requests
 * None
 * Additional Food
 * None

Pending


 * Misc.
 * Climbers Coalition
 * Still pending, haven't heard back from them.
 * NecroCinema
 * Still pending, They haven't put up meeting information on their hampedia page
 * Trips
 * All trips still pended for risk assessment
 * Publications
 * NecroCinema
 * Still pending, They haven't put up meeting information on their hampedia page
 * Additional food
 * None

Discussion

Ficom Attendance

All Ficom members must attend all meetings. If a member is going to miss a meeting, notice must be given at the previous meeting. Two missed meetings without an excuse will result in loss of voting membership.

Discussed history of EMT funding 

Ficom/COCA probation list

COCA has placed SJP on the probation list, given that they have failed to comply with funding policies, including not turning in contracts in a timely fashion, planning events after the deadline. For more information, please contact COCA.

CoCA's Zoho

There is a new Zoho system. It's not well integrated, Ficom and COCA requests aren't together, needs to be fixed.

Review of Spring Jam Budget COCA has submitted a review of their Spring Jam budget. Last year's spring jam cost $28,000, this year's projected $25,000-$30,700. The request is for $29,000. We decided we needed to pend this because of low attendance – three members is not enough to decide on a request of this magnitude.

Monday, March 28
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Summer Trips
 * Group Recognition - Supporting the CLA
 * FiCom - Next Semester
 * -- Continued hoodie distribution

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Melanie, Connie &amp; Erik


 * Absent: Nick

Minutes:

HCEMS comes in for a chit-chat

They would like to know where they stand within funding. This year, the EMTs have not used an excess amount of funds. Reasons for why some of their funding requests have just been our funding practices.

They are also looking at buying different types of uniforms. In past groups, they have had more expensive shirts that also lasted longer. They changed to this new, cheaper when budgets were crunched. Additional funds for these uniforms have been asked from the President's office, this will also go towards some weather-proofed coverings.

Other funding requests may include $180-$200 worth of bike-fixing equipments. Also, they would like some reserve parts for these, which may equate at $100 or so. The last of these other fund requests would be a computer-related update. Their current computer is pretty old, and it does not have enough hard drive space. Options were discussed, and we'll further look at these requests on the next meeting.

Red Scare comes in for a chit-chat

They submitted a request for their second payment on their house in Georgia. This was not posted previously, but it was what was originally anticipated as part of their Georgia budget. Van quote was incorrect, they did not get funds necessary for their mileage, however, the CLA and Red Scare are dealing with that together.

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * Red Scare
 * APPROVED: $2,199
 * HCEMS
 * Food for their HCEMS boot camp
 * Thirty-five (35) EMTs will be attending!
 * This will provide food for the EMTs as they practice many calls.
 * APPROVED: $246
 * Trip Requests
 * Contra Dance Collective
 * This request covers multiple trips and even an event!
 * The monitor fees need to be submitted through CoCA.
 * DENIED: Please submit monitor fee to CoCA, and resubmit April budget.
 * DIG
 * Trip to Museum in NYC
 * They are "collaborating" with PopDev on this trip, paying only half of the costs.
 * We would like to discuss with them further the purposes of having activities be student-initiated.
 * APPROVED: $170
 * Equipment Requests
 * Blacksmiths Guild
 * Propane refill
 * Transferring funds directly to Lemelson
 * APPROVED: $620
 * Food Funding
 * Hampshire Confucius
 * $45 for 17 people per meeting
 * Directly to the Spiritual Life P-Card
 * APPROVED: $180 for next 4 meetings
 * HCEMS
 * Food for one difficult night.
 * They will be warned, instead.
 * DENIED at request of the signer
 * In Solidarity With Immigrants
 * APPROVED: $96 for next 4 meetings

Discussion of Staff in the CLA

We got a complaint on Zoho, and we discussed it.

Summer Trips Discussion

There used to be an unspoken rule that you wouldn't fund things over the summer. However, SLAM collective wanted to go to a National's competition that ended up arriving at the summer. Last year, in April, we denied one summer trip, and approved another one. The notes for those can be found at FiCom Meetings, Spring 2010 Minutes. This sets some precedence. Competitive groups can be seen as an exception, as they have been getting ready all year for a National Competition that might land in the summer.

We will leave the International Socialist Organization in pending, and discuss the CLA on these issues. This may involve a change in policy, although that may not be used to consider this request.

CLA Group Recognition

Do more group recognition outreach. Chit-chat with the CLA, see how we can help them. DEADLINE ON MONDAY!

Thursday, March 24
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Review Probation List
 * Group Recognition - Supporting the CLA
 * Equestrian Team Horse Show
 * Contact COCA about Zoho!
 * -- Continued hoodie distribution

Attendance: James, Nathan, Nelson, Connie, Erik


 * Absent: Sarah (excused), Nick, Melanie

Minutes:

Membership: Nelson motions to make Erik Arnold a voting member, James seconds.

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * COCA
 * Their last chunk of money for event funding.
 * This reflects their budget projections, yay4CoCA!
 * APPROVED: $6,000
 * Trip Requests
 * International Socialist Organization
 * Socialism 2011 Conference in Chicago, IL (Jun 30th - Jul 4th)
 * Bus tuckers: $150 per person
 * Admission Fee: $80 per person
 * $115 per night for 1 room, 3 nights
 * First of all, risk assessment needs to be done for this trip. Secondly, we would like clarification of whether or not there will be 15 or 6 students projected to attend.
 * We will need to talk to Pam about the possibility of funding events that occur during the summer. There does not seem to be any guidelines that address this.
 * The trip also seems to be over our trip funding cap, and we would like to talk to them about possible fundraising methods.
 * PENDED: For above reasons.
 * Anarchist Studies
 * Anti-Nazi Protest in Trenton, NJ (Apr. 16)
 * They will presumably take a Hampshire van and a personal car, 500 miles
 * They'd like reimbursement, $0.51 per mile
 * They have not done risk assessment, and we are unsure of whether or not they have defensive drivers for these vehicles.
 * PENDED: Looks good, do risk assessment.
 * Contra Dance Collective
 * New England Folk Festival (NEFFA)
 * Projected Attendance: 5
 * Four advanced tickets - $60 each
 * One hotel room for two nights,
 * Fifth attendee is not a Hampshire student, therefore we are unsure of whether or not they are able to use the Hampshire Vans (for legal reasons).
 * PENDED: For above reason.
 * Aliz
 * NUJLS Conference @ Brandice University
 * We've previously funded this trip, although for less students.
 * Recently, some students got scholarships to attend this event!
 * However, others want to newly attend it, as well. They submitted a request for the difference.
 * APPROVED: $135
 * Equipment Requests
 * Samba & Capoeira Group
 * They've reduced their original costs, significantly. Yay!
 * APPROVED: $992
 * Publication Requests
 * NecroCinema Film Collective
 * 25 copies of BIG advertisement posters ($3 each)
 * They've yet to update their Hampedia page to reflect their meeting information
 * Also, it seems that this is a big expense for advertising, so we would like to discuss other methods, or if we should think about funding fewer posters.
 * PENDED: Update Hampedia
 * Food Funding
 * Asian Media
 * 13 attendees per meeting
 * $39 per meeting
 * APPROVED: $156 for next 4 meetings
 * Fund Transfers
 * QCA
 * They got funding approved for Dumbeldore's Coming Out Party: Queer Meet &amp; Greet
 * However, Emily Rimmer, in the Center for Feminisms used her p-card for the event, so this is going to be transfered money back into her account from the QCA
 * APPROVED: $200 transfered to Emily Rimmer's p-card

Pended Funding Requests


 * Local Foods Initiative
 * This was pended to see if it was part of a weekly meeting ritual, or a one-time event.
 * We are asking them to please request funding from CoCA.
 * DENIED: Submit as an event, please.
 * Raices
 * We are approving the glowsticks, for the reduced price.
 * APPROVED: $18
 * International Socialist Organization
 * They have talked to the Social Science Librarian, the books requested will be stored on the library shelves for the entire community to use after they use them in their discussion.
 * APPROVED: $163
 * Raices
 * They have completed Risk Assessment, so they're all set.
 * APPROVED: $927

Probation List Revision

We discussed The Reader and the Capoiera group's presence on our probation list. They have now been removed from the FiCom Probation List, and we will be soon discussing other groups that may be in danger of falling on this list.

Outreach for Group Recognition

We would like to support the CLA in their efforts to ask student groups to fill out the Group Recognition form online. We will be making flyers, and paying the Magic Board gnome for our advertisement's presence on its humble screen.

Monday, March 21
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * EMT Purchases Discussion
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Spiritual Life PCard - List of Groups
 * -- Continued hoodie distribution

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Nick, Melanie, Connie &amp; Erik Arnold (3rd Mtg)

Minutes:

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * NecroCinema Film Collective
 * $50 for advertising a film screening
 * They have not updated their meeting information on Hampedia.
 * Also, we would prefer this to be submitted under publications.
 * PENDED: Until above requirements are fulfilled.
 * Hampshire College Equestrian Team
 * $500 for an at-home Horse Show
 * They have planned for this extensively
 * This is an event, however, and must be submitted through CoCA
 * DENIED: Submit to CoCA (as event)
 * NecroCinema Film Collective
 * They would like to pay a speaker to give a talk on campus.
 * This is an event, however, and must be submitted through CoCA
 * DENIED: Submit to CoCA (as event)
 * Local Foods Initiative
 * They would like to have a local farmer at an LFI dinner in the dining commons.
 * 12 students would like entry to the dining commons at $5 each.
 * Is this going to be a one-time thing? If so, it is an event and should be submitted to CoCA.
 * PENDED: Is it?
 * Mixed Nuts
 * A monthly donation to the Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (cofed.org).
 * The SAF does not support monetary donations.
 * This is due to the fact that it is believed that these donations to not contribute to the students of Hampshire College.
 * DENIED
 * Excalibur
 * Duplications for Deathfest, including advertising and things for the event, such as character sheets.
 * APPROVED: $25
 * Jewish Student Union
 * Funding for Passover Week
 * We had previously discussed giving this to CoCA, but we have, instead, taken it on in FiCom, due to CoCA's limited funding, and the obscurity/required nature of this event.
 * Transferring directly to the Spiritual Life P-Card.
 * APPROVED: $410
 * Trip Requests
 * Hampshire College Equestrian Team
 * Horse Show at Sycamore Stables (final show)
 * Their budget reflects a slightly larger cost, however, we will assume that they will cover the remained of those costs.
 * If they require more, they may submit another request.
 * APPROVED: $650
 * Red Scare
 * Wesleyan Tournament
 * 15 attendees at $10 each
 * This admission fee should be paid with the college credit card, wherever possible.
 * They will take the Hampshire Van.
 * APPROVED: $150
 * Equipment Requests
 * Samba & Capoeira Group
 * This is the request that we discussed below.
 * Although this does seem like a beneficial request for this group, we can not fund the entire request at the present moment.
 * However, we are very interested in seeing where this group goes in the following semesters, and funding more of this request at a later date.
 * PENDED: Re-submit a new request with essentials and try to cap it at $1,000
 * HCEMS
 * They have narrowed down their request for uniforms to EMT shirts.
 * They're going to have a pie-selling fundraiser to cover further uniform expenses.
 * APPROVED: $120
 * Publication Requests
 * The Omen
 * Next issue of the omen.
 * Similar in price range to previous issues.
 * APPROVED: $452 Fund transfer &amp; ZoHo show this as APPROVED $294.00 - mj
 * The Climax
 * Next issue of the climax.
 * Similar in price range to previous issues.
 * APPROVED: $294 Fund transfer &amp; ZoHo show this as APPROVED $452.00 - mj
 * Food Funding
 * Sisters
 * 12 attendees per meeting
 * $35 per meeting (below cap!)
 * APPROVED: $140 for 4 meetings
 * PASA
 * 15 attendees per meeting
 * $40 per meeting (below cap!)
 * APPROVED: $160 for 4 meetings
 * JSU
 * This is for Shabbat!
 * 20 student attend these
 * $60 per Shabbat dinner
 * Transferring directly to the Spiritual Life P-Card
 * APPROVED: $240 for 4 dinners

Samba & Capoeira Group comes in for a chit-chat

The current group that performs these types of music does not have the equipment necessary to do so. The samba equipment that they possess is all student-owned, and must return with those students after graduation. It is not stored in a common space. The rest of that equipment is technically owned by the music department, however they do not seem to be using it.

The request that they have submitted would allow for more students to participate in the Samba group. The $3,530 would benefit about 20 students, which is something to take into consideration, when thinking about funding this student group equitably.

Spiritual Life P-Card Use

A document was written up, and Zoho archives, as well as meeting minutes, were analyzed in order to acquire a list of groups that use the spiritual life p-card. We have noticed that some of the following groups, which will have sole access to this purchasing card, are not exactly included under the Spiritual Life umbrella. We will make sure that this does not affect their use. Furthermore, specific groups, such as SPICI, will need to be contacted in order to make sure that they submit for funding requests through FiCom, and are not solely relying on funds from other offices on campus. The following groups will have access to the spiritual life p-card:

Jewish Student Union Hampshire Confucius Aliz Students Promoting Israeli Culture and Information (SPICI)

All of the money these four groups will ever request from the Student Activities Fund will be transferred to the Liza Neal's p-card.

Thursday, March 10
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * EMT Purchases
 * Spiritual Life PCard
 * Community Council
 * --- Also, continued hoodie distribution

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Melanie, Connie &amp; Erik Arnold (2nd Mtg)

Minutes:

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * Community Council
 * Five College Student Coordinating Board Fee
 * APPROVED: $500
 * Community Council
 * Advertising funds for Elections!
 * APPROVED: $12
 * Raices
 * Two one hundred packs of glow sticks
 * Erik found glow sticks for cheaper! (from $26 to $5 per pack)
 * PENDED: For them to consider this price.
 * COCA
 * Funds to continue event funding!
 * They changed their projections per month, however, they're still at the same amount! (not over-budget!)
 * APPROVED: $8,000
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Credit card fee that we have previously discussed. They are trying to change credit cards, so hopefully we won't have to pay for this in the future. Usually, they take their revenue and pay for this, but currently they're not doing as well!
 * We would like to discuss where they are financially!
 * This is going to be that fee for the months of March, April and May
 * APPROVED: $105
 * Trip Requests
 * Circus Folk Unite
 * 20 students attending, $10 per student for admission
 * APPROVED: $200
 * Hampshire College Fencing Club
 * We have previously talked about this event, and we discussed FiCom's trip cap. As previously noted, we can guarantee them $100 per student! However, we had previously talked (with them in the room), about giving them $1,500 for the entire trip!
 * These funds would only cover some of the transportation costs - partially.
 * APPROVED: $1,500
 * Aliz
 * Conference at Brandeis University for Queer Jewish students!
 * They have 5 students projected to attend this event!
 * There is a $75 admissions charge per student
 * $19 has been marked, per student, for transportation, however, they're taking Hampshire College Vans, so where is this charge coming from - Hampshire College vans are free for students!
 * PENDED: For what are these $19?
 * Hampshire College Democrats
 * College Democrats of Massachusetts Conference!
 * Five (5) students are projected to attend!
 * $60 per bus ticket to Boston, per student!
 * $10 is the admission fee, per student
 * Lodging, in total, is $50 for everything!
 * APPROVED: $400
 * Equipment Requests
 * HCEMS
 * Uniforms for eight new EMTs, and a couple for current member without them
 * Sweatshirts at 20.40 x11 / Short sleeve at 13.25 x9 / Long sleeve at 14.25 x8
 * Last semester, we received a substantial request for uniforms for the EMTs, and we discussed that being the last one for a long period of time.
 * We discussed only funding only one type of shirt, than can be worn over all other clothing items! However, we would like the EMTs to get back to us with that kind of update.
 * PENDED
 * Re-Rad
 * Supplies for t-shirt making supplies! (which includes the t-shirts)
 * Sarah motions to fund the ReRad t-shirts for $60, Connie blocks.
 * 2 people vote "Yes!" / 1 person votes "No!" / 2 people "Abstain!"
 * DENIED: The current FiCom feels that these t-shirts are considered as give-aways within the SAF Guidelines.
 * Food Funding
 * COCA
 * 17 CoCa members, $51 per meeting
 * APPROVED: $204 for next 4 meetings

Review of Pended Requests


 * Aliz
 * Trip we JUST discussed. The signer came in and told us that the $19 was a mistake, and that the risk assessment was completed!
 * APPROVED: $375

PASA comes in for a chit-chat

They came in to ask about food funding and how things work around them! We walked them through Zoho and the the reimbursement forms - including RFPs and POs.

Aliz comes in for a chit-chat

They came in and clarified the $19 that they had written into their Travel requests. It was a mistake, as they were not aware of the policies surrounding Hampshire vans. In the future, we should make those more explicit within our Zoho form, or in Hampedia.

Jewish Student Union comes in for a chit-chat

They came in and discussed Passover. Ultimately, we feel that their planning for passover is more similar to an event than it would be to meeting food. They will be requesting food, as well as supplies for invitations and that may all be submitted to CoCA under one request.

For the Shabbat Dinners, we have clarified with the JSU members that this IS within FiCom's funding purview, and that we would like to fund these dinners as if they were weekly meetings (as they happen weekly!)

Transparency and Spiritual Life Groups

The FiCom Director met with the Spiritual Life Director and they discussed changing the way that spiritual life groups use her purchasing card. A member will compile a list of spiritual life groups that have used the purchasing card in the past at the most frequency, and only those groups will be allowed to use the Spiritual Life's purchasing card.

After that, the Spiritual LIfe director has agreed to formulate a budget, for FiCom, of these expenses charged to their purchasing card - thus aiding transparency, and assuring that these groups are using these funds towards what they requested.

Monday, March 7
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Paperwork Policies - Consequences of Paying Things Late (SC)
 * CC &amp; Sub-Committee Requests
 * Fund Transfers

Attendance: Sarah, Nathan, Nelson, Nick, Melanie, Connie &amp; Erik Arnold (1st Mtg)


 * Absent: James (sick/excused)

Minutes:

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * Dandelion Den
 * 34lbs of herbs, in bulk increments, totaling to $392
 * This is their first order of herbs
 * APPROVED: $392
 * Red Scare
 * Registration fee with the USA Ultimate (national league)
 * They must be registered with this to compete in select tournaments
 * The fee is $50 per player on the men's team (of 14 players)
 * If there were to be a women's team, there would be an understanding to pay this fee for them as well.
 * APPROVED: $700
 * International Socialists Organization
 * They would like funds for copies of multiple different books
 * We have previously approved their funding requests for 5 copies of one book
 * We would like to know how they are being stored?
 * PENDED: Where are these being stored? Can they be stored in the library, for greater accessibility to the whole campus?
 * Circus Folk Unite
 * A trip to see Cirque Mechanics' show at UMass on March 22nd
 * They would like to buy 20 student tickets, $10 each
 * DENIED: Please, resubmit under Trip Requests.
 * Hampshire College Democrats
 * They are going to be writing letters to Congress
 * They would like pens, pads of lined paper, and envelopes
 * APPROVED: $18
 * Climbers Coalition
 * 2 ten-student punch cards
 * These will provide access to the Central Rock Gym in Hadley
 * We would like to know when they intend to use these, so that they do not just get used simply for individuals
 * PENDED: What are the group events you are planning? Have you done risk management for the gym?
 * Trip Requests
 * Raices
 * They fixed their previous request, fixing the dates of attendance
 * They will be attending The New England Latino Empowerment Conference at the University of Vermount
 * There is a $60 per student admission fee
 * Also, $69/night for 3 rooms at La Quinta Inn
 * Twelve (12) attendees total! About $80 each!
 * PENDED: Risk Management, please! (it's over 250mi)
 * Equipment Requests
 * Glass Collective
 * Glass rods and madrels
 * They've itemized all their items, and they are going to store it in their cabinet at Lemelson
 * However, they still are not doing fabulous advertising, as we've mentioned before to them!
 * APPROVED: $274
 * Publication Requests
 * The Climax
 * Funding for 1200 copies of their next issue
 * APPROVED: $451.39
 * Food Funding
 * FISH
 * $70 for 25 students per meeting
 * APPROVED: $280 for next 4 meetings
 * Barts Arm
 * $50 for 15 students per meeting
 * That is a little over the $3 food funding cap, we will lower it appropriately
 * APPROVED: $180

Review of Pended Requests


 * Trip Requests
 * Chameleon Club
 * Funding for students who are financially unable to attend this event
 * Possible concerns about this club's advertising should be addressed!
 * APPROVED: $1,719

Mixed Nuts comes in for a chit-chat

They work with a specific bank in order to accept credit card purchases. The use of this card terminal

Red Scare comes in for a chit-chat

Some female members of the Red Scare came in to talk about the possibility of registering an all-female team with the USA Ultimate national league, as the male team. So far, they have 12 very enthusiastic players, and all that is left is for them to organize this list of names! They will soon be submitting a miscellaneous funds request, as the other Red Scare team did, for this!

Discussion of Sports Co-op Budgeting

They consistently pay their vendors late, due to perceived barriers in communication between the signers and the OPRA staff. We would like to meet with the CLA and the Sports Co-Op signers in order to fix this. Either the signers begin to submit regular POs and reimbursement forms, as all other groups (including other sports teams), or the OPRA staff can process these purchases alongside of their OPRA budget.

Funding Required to Subcommittees

Council subcommittees should be submitting miscellaneous funding requests for the money allotted to them within Community Council's bylaws! However, none have done so! In the future, pending certain reconstructions, we can think about certain deadlines to create in order to get through this funding procedure earlier in the semester.

Transparency and Spiritual Life Groups

There are several groups within the spiritual life umbrella that use the purchasing card of the Spiritual Life Director to buy items for their groups. However, this is not very transparent, as these reimbursements and purchases do not go through the CLA and the FiCom office assistant. We will discuss, with this director, ways to limit the amount of student groups who use this purchasing card, and a budget that may be submitted to FiCom at the end of each semester, showing that students groups actually used their funding as they were intended.

Ultimately, this would be interesting to run through some of the groups under the Community Health Collaborative

Signer Hoodie Distribution

The ones who volunteered to help out on Wednesday night should arrive at the FiCom office at 6:30pm! The boxes will be carried to the tavern, where they will be dispersed at the event!

Thursday, March 3
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Review of Chameleon Club Trip - Signer Visits
 * Hoodie Distribution Event (Food)

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson &amp; Melanie


 * Absent: Nick &amp; Connie

Minutes:

Zoho was BROKEN!

At 6:10pm, Zoho broke. We did not have access to received funding requests from that time until 6:39pm, when it began to work again.

Review of Funding Requests:


 * Miscellaneous
 * Amnesty International
 * They'd like funds for duplications, in order to make flyers
 * This request should be submitted in publications requests
 * APPROVED: $10
 * Dandelion Den
 * 34lbs of herbs, in bulk increments, totaling to $392
 * They gave us an itemized list of herbs, however Zoho is not allowing us to see attachments
 * PENDED: Until we can see their attached list.
 * Students for Justice in Palestine
 * Speakers fee, as well as transportation for speaker
 * This is an event, it needs to be submitted to CoCA.
 * DENIED
 * Trip Requests
 * Raices
 * Event has been submitted with incorrect dates
 * They would like 3 hotel rooms, 4 people per room
 * However, we cannot see how much they are going to need for hotel, as they have incorrect dates
 * Also, they need to begin Risk Management immediately!
 * DENIED: Please submit with correct dates.
 * Sexperts
 * They came in to talk about this trip to a museum in NYC.
 * They added a parking fee of $40 (must turn in receipts when getting reimbursed for this)
 * This is added to their previous $105 admissions fee between 10 students
 * APPROVED: $145
 * Equipment Requests
 * Amnesty International
 * Boxes of envelopes and stamps, which the signers will hold on to 'til event day
 * This will be used for a write-a-thon, writing letters for causes
 * APPROVED: $60
 * Food Funding
 * Hampshire College Democrats
 * $40 for 15 students per meeting
 * They've been advertising well!
 * APPROVED: $150 for 4 meetings (fund transfer and ZoHo show $160.00 approved - mj)
 * COCA
 * This meeting will be for band selection for Spring Jam
 * This is an 8hr long meeting, with 17 CoCA members on March 6th!
 * APPROVED: $51 (good luck!)
 * Amnesty International
 * $20 per meeting, for 7 studnets (weekly)
 * APPROVED: $80 for 4 meetings

Review of Pended Requests


 * Students for Justice in Palestine
 * All three signers finally attended a signer training session
 * APPROVED: $30 for poster/sign making
 * Sexperts
 * Earlier, we approved an updated request.
 * DENIED
 * Students for the Freedom to Unionize
 * They've all attended signer training sessions
 * APPROVED: $100 for a month of meeting food

Hoodie Distribution Event

The CLA would like us to contribute some money to this event, just as we contributed to Signer Seminar. We are approving $300 to be used for this event.

Groups without "Trained Signers"

There are still 12 groups without three signers who have gone through the Signer Seminar training process. The CLA will be contacting them in order to see if they would still like to be recognized. If so, they need to attend a Signer Tutorial at the CLA in regular business hours.

Hampshire College Fencing Club comes in for a chit-chat

They came in to discuss their National's Event in Chicago. They have admissions fees and all other costs covered, however, they need transportation. If they used airplanes, their costs would be $3,000 for 10 students. They will hold a fundraiser and hope to cover most of their costs. FiCom can guarantee $100 per student, so that would be about $1,000. They've never gone before, so they are very excited about this event! In the past, National's has been closer by and less expensive. Of course, they need to do Risk Management, ASAP!

Chameleon Club comes in for a chit-chat

The cost of the entire trip is $4,173 for 12 students. These costs encompass transportation, as well as staying at at a location. However, only 5 students will actually be requesting these funds, due to economic barriers. They submitted an initial request that seemed to ask for the total amount. An updated funding request must be submitted that only requests for the amount it will cost for these 5 students to receive this aid.

Monday, February 28
Agenda:


 * Welcome to FiCom
 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Review of Sports Co-op Budget [[Media:Spring_2011_Sports_Co-Op.pdf|HERE]].
 * Review of Chameleon Club Trip - Signer Visits
 * Hoodies

Attendance:

Sarah, James, Nathan (late), Nelson, Nick, Melanie, Connie &amp; Erik Arnold (1st Mtg)

Minutes:

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * FiCom
 * 10 XXL hoodies that must be added to our previous order.
 * APPROVED: $63
 * Trip Requests
 * Students for Justice in Palestine
 * Trip to Washington, D.C. on March 4th
 * They have emailed us that they realized that it was too late for risk assessment
 * DENIED
 * Publication Requests
 * The Omen
 * 350 copies at $0.84 per copy
 * 28 pages at $0.03 cents per page
 * APPROVED: $294 for the next issue
 * Students for the Freedom to Unionize
 * Twelve (12) student per meeting, $25 per meeting
 * We need to review make-up signer sessions and our current documents and find out if all of their signers attending a Signer Seminar
 * Hampshire Confucius
 * Fifteen (12) student per meeting, $45 per meeting
 * Again, we need to review up-to-date signer sessions
 * Fund Transfer
 * Queer Community Alliance
 * They want to transfer the money they got from COCA for the Five College Queer, Sexuality and Gender Conference. They want to transfer it to the QCA center, in order to use it through that PCard and not front that money.

Review of Pended Requests


 * Sports Co-op
 * In the future, we would really like for there not to be any retroactive funding.
 * Again, we should try to find some sort of institutional funding, in the future, for Hampshire Sports.
 * APPROVED: $11,230
 * Chameleon Club
 * We should make it a conversation about alternative sources of funding, in the future, as this is $400 per person, and well-above the trip cap. Possibly fundraising, in the future, after returning, like they have in the past.
 * Hampshire Confucius
 * They just emailed us about this request, as we just pended it.
 * All three of their signers HAVE attending a signer session.
 * How can spiritual life support groups under it without making more paperwork for the CLA and BO?
 * APPROVED: $180 for a month

Sexperts come in for a chit-chat

They have some revisions to submit to their funding request. There will be 10 members attending this trip, and there is a group rate that is about $6 less per person. They will have to park the 12 person Hampshire van at a paid lot while vising their museum. This parking fee may be up to $40, so they will also be requesting this.

Also, they will submit a new funding request to show all of these new revisions.

The CLA's Signer Appreciation Event

We will be dispersing the signer hoodies on March 9th, 2011 at the Tavern. Sarah, James, Connie, Melanie and Nathan have committed to attend. FiCom members will be checking that signers are legitimate, and have attended signer seminar!

Thursday, February 24
Agenda:


 * New Voting Member
 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Review of Sport Co-op Budget, Visit from the Signers
 * CC Reportback
 * Initial Funding
 * Hoodies

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Nick, Melanie, Connie &amp; Erik Arnold (late)

Minutes:

Membership: Sarah seconds to make Connie a voting member, Nick seconds.

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * Blacksmiths Guild
 * Food funding for Design Conspiracy
 * This is within our agreed budget at the beginning of the semester
 * APPROVED: $770
 * Sports Co-op
 * This money will go towards Men's/Women's Soccer and Men's/Women's Cross Country
 * Also, retroactive costs for basketball games and fees that happened this spring. In the future, this may be included with the fall sports co-op budget.
 * Their spring 2011 budget can be found [[Media:Spring_2011_Sports_Co-Op.pdf|HERE]].
 * Total $11,000 for spring 2011 semester
 * PENDED: Further discussion on Monday (as it was presented late in the meeting)
 * Trip Requests
 * Chameleon Club
 * Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans (spring break)
 * Projected Attendance: 12
 * Flights: $1405
 * Vans: $650 (why planes and vans?)
 * Room &amp; Board: $1530 (we can not pay for trip food!)
 * Transport to/from airport: $49 per person
 * Total is $4173 / approximately $400 per person
 * Five students need aid, which "comes out to $2,000" (minus $281 fundraised) - what does this mean?
 * PENDED: Risk Assessment, and we would like to speak to them about some things that we cannot fund, as well as some clarifications.
 * Hampshire College Equestrian Team
 * Mt. Holyoke College
 * Projected Attendance: 10
 * We reviewed these budget numbers in the past, this is according to budget.
 * APPROVED: $860
 * Sexperts
 * The NYC Museum of Sex
 * Projected Attendance: 9
 * Admission per person: $16
 * They will use a Hampshire van
 * Will do Risk Assessment later this week
 * PENDED: To be approved after risk assessment.
 * Food Funding
 * Climbers Coalition
 * $35 per meeting for 12 attendees/week
 * APPROVED: $140 for the next 4 meetings
 * Fund Transfers
 * Aliz
 * Transferring initial $75 food funding to Spiritual Life Center to use their P-Card
 * It would be more transparent and accountable for them to use the proper forms at the CLA.
 * The Spiritual Life groups seem very interested in all doing this, and we should work with them so that they're happy, but going through more efficient passageways.
 * DENIED

Review of Pended Requests


 * Students for Justice in Palestine
 * Their third signers MUST attend tomorrow's meeting.
 * Hampshire College Democrats
 * They've agreed to only use their movie purchase to loan them out to students ($5.00 written up on fund transfer - mj)

Hoodies

We are committing to the Indigo color, after seeing samples of Indigo and Dark Heather (as the indigo actually looks like what we thought Dark Heather was). In the future, it is important to ALWAYS get test samples for colors (and maybe even sizes) to make sure that they are acceptable.

We are APPROVING a request of $4,900 for Hampshire student group signer hoodies! Each hoodie is approximately $17 and we are ordering 290 hoodies. We are going to order this through a PCard at the CLA, the vendor will give us an invoice - it will be grand!

COCA Zoho Problem Resolved

Nathan located a bug with COCA's account on Zoho. He explained it, through various technical jargons, and he will work on fixing the problem, through various technical activities. It will all be fixed in the near future!

On a related note, due to these various technical issues, and the sharing of passwords, we will soon be updating these.

Monday, February 21
Agenda:


 * Officer Roles (Future)
 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Signer Seminar Survey
 * Reportback: COCA Meeting
 * Initial Funding
 * Zoho Problems?
 * Hoodies

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson (late), Melanie, Nick (late), Connie Hildreth (3rd Mtg)

Minutes:

Review of Funding Requests:


 * Miscellaneous
 * Hampshire College Democrats
 * DVD of Frost/Nixon ($5)
 * They noted that they would like to screen this film. There are copyright rules that the college must follow, however.
 * PENDED: We would like to tell us that this DVD will only be loaned out to students, and not actually screened. If so, we will go ahead and fund this request.
 * COCA
 * They've sent an updated budget to the FiCom inbox, with different monthly goals, but the same end-budget.
 * They are reviewing event funding requests months in advance, this is why they are asking for money in a more expedited manner. However, it is important for them to express to student groups that this is happening, so that there isn't a false sense of financial guarantee for student groups requesting event funding around April.
 * APPROVED: $8,000
 * Publication Requests
 * Hampshire College Democrats
 * Funds for postcards (stuffing mailboxes) and posters
 * These materials will be used to advertise the student group.
 * APPROVED: $14
 * Food Funding
 * QIPOC
 * $36 per meeting for 12 attendees
 * Addressing Comment: There is NO wrong answer for the question "What does your group discuss in your meetings."
 * APPROVED: $144 (one month of meetings)
 * Fund Transfer
 * JSU
 * Shabbat Dinner
 * Request was made through COCA, was approved, and must now be transfered to the Spiritual Life Center.
 * In the future, it should be submitted through FiCom in "Additional Meeting Food" (as that creates less paperwork)
 * APPROVED: $300 transfered to the (Spiritual Life Center - mj)
 * DIG
 * The community liaison spoke with them about submitting fund transfers to PopDev. It was agreed to, by the signer, that they would order food to prevent the wrist injury from conflicting.
 * Signers must be responsible for delegating task among the three of them. It is important that one signer does not take on all of the work load. Furthermore, what makes something simpler for one, creates more paperwork for others. Signers should come into a FiCom meeting and discuss their issues if they would like to further debate this problem.
 * DENIED

Review of Pended Requests


 * Glass Collective
 * It was indeed a duplicate request.
 * DENIED: As earlier request was approved.

COCA Leadership Discussion

There was a miscommunication within COCA about their interactions between other offices and subcommittees. FiCom does not feel that it is in a position of resolving any conflicts within the subcommittees. These matters will be brought up at tomorrow's Council meeting, as well as will be discussed further with the CLA.

We will be meeting with COCA and the CLA every other week, starting March 4th, at 2pm.

How to fund Student Groups that did not attend a Signer Training Session

There will be ONE more signer session on Friday at 1:30pm, which will be facilitated by Sarah. The CLA will contact signers that have not attended this a signer training, in order to allow them to be eligible for funding this semster. Students for Justice in Palestine, for example, are an active student group that has not had all three signers attend a signer seminar. It is imperative that the remaining signer(s) attend this session on Friday.

Otherwise, the CLA will further supervise personal tutorials for signers who have missed all of these training sessions. These will need to be scheduled with the CLA at another time.

Signer Seminar Feedback Survey

We discussed questions that we will use to assess the effectiveness of this semester's Signer Seminar. The survey will be sent out to all signers, and the results of these questions will be used to improve the F11 Signer Seminar.

Hoodie Discussion

At our Thursday meeting, we will have sample hoodies to more closely assess the types of hoodies that we will be ordering.

Officer Roles (future)

In mid-March, there will be FiCom elections for the officers of the 2011 fall semester.

Nathan has previously expressed interests in fulfilling the role of Financial Director. He will work with James, shadowing his goings-on during meetings. Also, he will attempt to meet with Marie (at the CLA) often, in order to begin developing good working relations.

James is interested in filling the role Community Liaison. He is aware of the necessary criteria for such a position, there may be a thing or two that he and Nelson will discuss. However, if there is another interested member, he would be more than happy to just be a voting member.

Nelson's shown previous interest in the position of FiCom Director. He will be sure to talk to Sarah and be involved in the meetings with her and the CLA. Again, if there is another interested candidate, they are more than willing to present their interest! It would be ideal for there to be more than one person running for the position of FiCom Director.

Thursday, February 17
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * 6:20 - Meet with GE Signers
 * Fix Fund Transfers
 * Signer Seminar Surveys
 * Meeting with COCA * - Friday at 12:00 in CLA
 * Hoodies
 * Zoho Problems

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Nick, Melanie &amp; Connie Hildreth (2nd Mtg)

Minutes:

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * COCA
 * Asked for another $7,000
 * We allotted $5,000 to them on Monday, is this necessary so soon?
 * PENDED: We will wait to hear from them as to the urgency of this request.
 * Equipment Requests
 * The Yurt Media Center
 * M44G Stylus - to replace the "broken needles"
 * We granted them a similar request last semester, were those the needles that are now broken? How often do these break?
 * APPROVED: $60
 * Publication Requests
 * The Climax
 * 1200 copies of the next Climax issue
 * An issue just came today
 * APPROVED: $422.15
 * Fund Transfers
 * DIG
 * They requested this again - a $50 transfer to PopDev for food for a film screening.
 * Their signers are "busy" and want to transfer this money in order to give PopDev the responsibility of the food.
 * The Community Liason will follow up with DIG, and discuss this and future fund transfers like these.
 * PENDED: Until next meeting.

Review of Pended Requests:


 * COCA
 * They JUST sent us an email. They have run out of money, as they gave a large chunk to the Five College Queer Conference. However, this does not follow their initial budget.
 * APPROVED: $5,000
 * Students for a Just and Stable Future
 * Powershift 2011
 * Pended for risk assessment - which is now complete.
 * APPROVED: $1,000

GE House Interns come in for a chit-chat

This is the first year that they have turned in a material budget. They program heavily over Jan-term, so they were not able to give a correct budget at that time. Also, the budget manager was out in that month.

The GE Interns have two budgets to work with. They have one from the SAF for student programming, and another for the staff spending. Those two budgets are combined into one thing, therefore it is difficult to parse out the budget for FiCom.

They will keep a seperate intern budget in the future, making sure that another intern is sitting down with the budget director so that, at any given time, there will be another person who will have knowledge of the budget.

Bi-weekly meetings with COCA and the CLA

We will be meeting with those two bodies tomorrow at 12pm. Afterward, we will be meeting every other week (theoretically we will meet them again on March 4th). Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to meet with them on Fridays at 2pm.

Conversation over whether or not, or how to charge Five College Students at our events

A member of COCA came in and had a discussion with us about editing the policy that does not allow student groups to require an entrance fee at their events for Five College Students.

We discussed an event in particular, which will be put on - most likely - in the middle of April. He suggested charging for this event as a pilot for a new policy. As it is a concert, it may attract a substantial amount of Five College attention.

FiCom's policy is that student groups may suggest a donation from their Five College attendees, but never a requirement. This is implemented to promote Five College community at Hampshire College Events.

We will continue talks on this policy change - within our bi-weekly meetings and independently of them. However, we do not feel that it is a quick decision to make.

Hoodie Conversation

We chose Indigo-colored hoodies. In the future, we will try to make this decision with signer support. Future pre-registration forms may include pictures of hoodie colors for signers to choose.

Also, we chose preliminary sizes: 20 XXL, 80 Large, 140 Medium, 50 Small! After sending these to the vendor, we will recieve sample sizes and price offers. If we have to lower an amount of hoodies, the small ones may be decreased.

Monday, February 14
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Signer Seminar Surveys
 * Meeting with COCA * - Friday at 12:00 in CLA
 * GE Intern Meeting?
 * Hoodies Discussion
 * Asian Media Fundraiser

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson, Nick (late), Melanie &amp; Connie Hildreth (1st Mtg)

Minutes:

Review of Funding Request


 * Miscellaneous
 * COCA
 * Requesting their next increment of money.
 * APPROVED: $5,000
 * International Socialist Organization
 * 5 copies of the book "The Meaning of Marxism"
 * A combination of new and used books
 * They will be kept with the signers and lent to group members
 * APPROVED: $45
 * Red Scare
 * All-Girls Tournament at Smith College
 * Team Registration Fee
 * APPROVED: $50
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Key Lock Box
 * Volunteers would have access to this keybox in order to work their shifts at the student store
 * APPROVED: $45
 * Hampshire College EMT's
 * Funding for HCEMS Orientation
 * They just hired 7 new members!
 * This funding will be for 20/23 EMT's
 * Day 1: 6pm-9pm (dinner: $58.30)
 * Day 2: 10am-12pm (lunch: $58.00)
 * Day 3: 6pm-9pm (dinner: $58.30)
 * APPROVED: $175
 * Trip Requests
 * Students for the Freedom to Unionize
 * Coalition of IMOKALEE Workers (Feb 27)
 * Other student groups involved:
 * In Solidarity With Immigrants
 * Hampshire Union of Activists
 * 25 Hampshire attendees (54 total)
 * Bus total comes out to over $1000 dollars
 * $30 per bus ticket for HAMPSHIRE students only
 * APPROVED: $750
 * Equipment Requests
 * Greenhouse Mod
 * Weekly Art Activity
 * Funds requested for materials
 * These activities are open to the community.
 * APPROVED: $69
 * Food Requests
 * Excalibur
 * 65 attendees at every Saturday movie screenings
 * $180 per meeting (under $3 per person cap)
 * APPROVED: $720 for one month
 * FISH
 * 25 students per meeting (weekly)
 * Requested $100 - which is over our $3 cap!
 * We will lower the amount to the cap, and let them know.
 * APPROVED: $300 for one month
 * Fund Transfers
 * DIG
 * They would like to transfer $50 to PopDev for food funding for film screenings (H2Oil)
 * They may use their initial food funding, however, this must be an event initiated or collaborated by a student group in order to be funded by the SAF.
 * DENIED
 * Crazy Pitches
 * Paying the Music and Dance building $150 fee for use of the recital hall for the concert
 * FiCom does not transfer money in this way, this is a payment that can be transfered by use of a Purchase Order of P-Card Use
 * DENIED

Review of Pended Requests


 * EPEC
 * EPEC does indeed have a duplications account
 * APPROVED: $100
 * Hampshire College Equestrian Team
 * We reviewed this last meeting
 * We will fund 3 shows this semester
 * APPROVED: $1,040
 * Climbers Coalition
 * This Budgest does indeed exist.
 * APPROVED: $1,000

Hampshire College Equestrian Team comes in for a chit-chat

They presented a budget to us, showing all of the money that they have to pay themselves. We agreed to fund three (3) of their shows this semester - including admissions costs, practice runs and class costs. As well as the, already funded, coach fee.

They will submit their requests individually, beginning with the request that was pended last meeting and approved today.

COCA, FiCom and CLA Meeting

We're meeting with Pam and COCA on Friday at 12pm. We will discuss budgeting, collaboration, and future leadership within our bodies - as several members from the subcommittees are graduating.

Asian Media Fundraiser Discussion

Asian Media is heading to Anime Boston! We funded their event, however, they wanted to try and raise funds to cover their parking fees. Their initial idea was to have a "Maid Cafe," a Japanese tradition seen in many anime. However, there were concerns with the CLA over this type of fundraiser.

Afterward, they decided to modify their fundraiser to be a "Costume Cafe," with less of the concerning Japanese traditions. They have met several times with the CLA, however, the CLA does not seem to approve of either of these fundraising techniques.

We had a discussion about whether or not Asian Media should be allowed to fundraise for this parking, because they used SAF already to fund some of their trip. We will make no decision about this until we meet with Asian Media Signers.

Hoodie Discussion

We are going to NOW purchase hoodies. Quantity: 50 small, 140 medium, 60 large, 140 medium, and 20 extra-large hoodies. We will discuss colors and materials on Thursday, and make the order on Friday. We are going to VOTE on a color for the hoodies on Thursday.

Thursday, February 10
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * New Voting Member?
 * GE House Budget
 * Initial Funding

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nathan, Nelson &amp; Melanie


 * Absent: Nick

Minutes:

James motions to make Melanie a voting member, Sarah seconds.

Review of Funding Requests:


 * Miscellaneous
 * Hampshire College Equestrian Team
 * Coach Fees
 * $150 per show, in 3 shows
 * APPROVED: $450
 * Students for Justice in Palestine
 * Paint Brushes &amp; Cloth for Sign-making
 * $30 total for materials.
 * PENDED: All three signers must attend signer's seminar
 * Hampshire College EMT's
 * "$150 for 3 days of Orientation"
 * PENDED: Must have itemized list of what the money is going towards.
 * Trip Requests
 * Hampshire College Equestrian Team
 * University of Massachusetts at Amherst Horse Show (Feb. 26)
 * 10 Participants total
 * Each participant must pay $30 for class fees, 3 of them must do two classes.
 * Practice runs ($35 per person) are required.
 * There is also a $30 admission fee for each rider.
 * We would like to work with the team to fund as much as possible.
 * PENDED: In order to fund the most possible, we would like a semester budget.
 * Shamanism Studies
 * Thistebloom Farm, Amherst
 * 5 attendees, $5 admission each
 * They would like to do this every month.
 * APPROVED: $25 for February
 * Publication Requests
 * The Big Skunk Ape Project
 * "Eat This" Publication
 * 300 copies / $1.26 each
 * 42 pages in Black and White
 * APPROVED: $378
 * Additional Food
 * Counselor Advocates
 * 11 students - $33 per meeting
 * Weekly (CLOSED) Meetings
 * To be transfered to the Community Health Collaborative
 * APPROVED: $132, transfered to CHC
 * Glass Collective
 * $130 for spring semester Design Conspiracy food.
 * DENIED: All food funding for Design Conspiracy will be requested for it through one group.
 * Asian Media
 * 17 attendees, at $46 per weekly meeting.
 * APPROVED: $184 for the month
 * Fund Transfers
 * Climbers Coalition
 * Recieved funding last semester for the Five College Outdoor Festival, however the money was not used from their account, and they would like to transfer it to the festival's account.
 * PENDED: We do not see this in our minutes from last semester. We will fact-check this transfer.

Blacksmiths Guild comes in for a chit-chat

They did not complete the General Information Form - although one signer recalls doing it (there may have been technical issues). They are good to go for the spring semester, noting that they will only need funding for their propane tank refills this semester.

We discussed Design Conspiracy food funding. They talked about how every group will give $132 over the spring semester to Design Conspiracy. Therefore, no initial food funding is then required for any Lemelson group. However, they would like their initial $5 advertising funds.

GE House Budget Freeze

Each semester, the SAF funding that is received from housing programs must be processed in the form of a semester budget by the different housing locations (for transparency purposes). This Fall 2010, the GE House Programs did not submit their Fall 2010 semester budget, after multiple emails and requests by FiCom. They are the only housing location to have not completed this, and therefore their Spring 2011 budget has been frozen, they are not allowed to access funds from the SAF until the previous semester's budget has been submitted to FiCom.

However, it is interesting to note, that we do not require the same type of budget requests from the different offices on campus (e.g. Spiritual Life Office) that also receive permanent funding from the SAF. This is due to those offices being run by staff (e.g. Spiritual Life Director), unlike the housing office budgets, which are managed by the interns. In the future, however, it would be ideal for all offices using the SAF to submit semester budgets, for a more transparent system.

Initial Funding

James is going to meet with Marie tomorrow to process initial funding for the student groups that requested them. Also, they will zero out any unused money within student accounts from previous semesters.

Monday, February 7
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Signer Seminar Discussion: What went well? What could go better?
 * Signer Seminar Make-Up Presentations
 * Master Signer List! List of groups that had three signers attend...
 * Initial Funding
 * Hoodies!

Attendance: Sarah, James, Nick, Nelson, Nathan &amp; Melanie Cox (3rd Mtg)

Minutes:

Chameleon Club &amp; Ahoula come in to Chit-Chat

Chameleon Club does a lot of fundraising for their events, but they would like their initial food &amp; advertising funds! Ahoula Club only spends about $20 each semester, but they would also like initial advertising funds! They had Risk Management concerns, as they wanted to know what exactly it'd be necessary for, answer: ANYTHING RISK-eh!

Review of Funding Requests:


 * Miscellaneous
 * EPEC Writing Seminar
 * They would like to print their papers for this course.
 * Eight people are in the class and they'd have 30-50 page papers per week
 * They would like to have a Duplications account set-up (to avoid paperwork)
 * PENDED: Is it possible to set-up an account with duplications for them?
 * Glass Collective
 * They would like to refill an oxygen tank - $145
 * Also, they must pay their lease on this tank - $225
 * APPROVED: $400 for them to start their group, we'd like for them to advertise more
 * Trip Requests
 * Students for a Just and Stable Future
 * Powershift 2011
 * They project for their to be 20 people in attendance.
 * The admissions fee is $50 per person, with Lodging FREE
 * It is possible that the vans may not be able to be used, as it's a 5 day trip.
 * PENDED: Looks good financially, pending for Risk Assessment
 * Equipment Requests
 * Jewelry Collective
 * Oxygen tank deposit: $75.13
 * Oxygen gas refill: $12.00
 * Acetylene Tank deposit: $60.00
 * Acetylene gas refill: $17.95
 * APPROVED: $166 for everything. Also, must advertise more! (transfer to LEMELSON)
 * Glass Collective
 * Liquid Oxygen Tank refill: $300
 * May be a similar request to the one in "Miscellaneous"
 * PENDED: We would like to know if this is a duplicate, or an extra cost.
 * Kyudo
 * Kake (glove) and Yumi (bow)
 * The request does not explain how many are being bought or for how many
 * This is also for an OPRA class, and the only way this student group operates is during the supervisor of the OPRA instructors within the OPRA class time.
 * DENIED: The SAF can not be used to support an OPRA class.
 * Students for a Just and Stable Future
 * Adversiting for "Summer of Solutions"
 * 200 copies of brochures (B&amp;W), $0.03 each - $6 total
 * 200 copies of fliers (B&amp;W), $0.03 each - $6 total
 * APPROVED: $12 for adversiting

Change of Signers forms are beginning to come in, we must make sure that those are being added to the MASTER signer list.

Make-up Dates for Signer Seminar:


 * Tuesday, 8th at 4pm-5pm in FPH 108 (Nelson &amp; James)
 * Friday, 11th at 1pm-2pm in FPH 108 (Nick &amp; Nathan)
 * Wednesday, 16th at 11am-12pm in the Tavern (Nelson &amp; Sarah)
 * THIS IS ADVISING DAY!

Signer Seminar Feedback


 * Discuss Signer Seminar introduction:
 * Making sure that the MLH Presentation is READY to go.
 * The MLH Presentation could've included the WEEKLY Financial reports
 * Reconsidering how we organize our Breakout Sessions
 * Giving COCA more of a change to introduce themselves to signers. For example, showing people their TUMBLR
 * New Signers Session:
 * Working with new signers to make sure they're responsible!
 * For example, make sure people know the differences between FiCom and COCA requests
 * Seasons Signers notes:
 * Suggested to create an account with the zip-cars for student groups
 * Supporting signers and working with special programs in order to facilitate communication
 * Group Survivability notes:
 * What to do when student groups lose a signer?
 * You may replace someone on the Change of Signers form without consent!
 * Suggested that groups should collaborate more.
 * Talked about how to run meetings with more entertainment!

Hampshire Union of Activists comes in to Chit-Chat

They did not submit their General Information Form, but they would like their $75 in initial food and advertising funding. in the past, this group the signers want to be more committed! HUA tries to help other activist groups as well, to serve as a resource! However, one of the signers did not make it to Sunday's Signer Seminar (she'll attend tomorrow's make-up sesh).

Thursday, February 3
Agenda:


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Meeting with Groups Who Didn't Fill Out the General Information Form
 * Signer Seminar Planning &amp; Practice

Attendance: Sarah, Nathan, James, Nick &amp; Melanie Cox (2nd Mtg)

Minutes:

Alternative Sexuality Collective comes for a Chit-Chat

They did not fill out the General Information form, and they would like to be recognized in Spring '11. They'd like initial food and advertising funding.

Review of Funding Requests


 * Miscellaneous
 * Arc5
 * Request $80 for revitalizing EDH studio
 * APPROVED: $80
 * Trip Requests
 * Asian Media
 * Requesting money for trip to Anime Boston
 * $780.00 for lodging, $40 per person for admission
 * 6 members will pay back into the SAF
 * $200 for Parking Fees
 * Total:$2060
 * APPROVED: $2060
 * Publication Requests
 * Arc5
 * Requesting $75 for advertising
 * Arc5's account is $25 in the red from prior advertising
 * Arc5 says that their debt is $40, financial report says it's $25
 * APPROVED: $40, to cover debt and $18 of Additional Advertising
 * Food Requests
 * Arc5
 * Requesting $96 in Additional Food Funding
 * APPROVED: $96

FiCom Inbox

Some groups that have not filled out the general info form will be coming next week:


 * Hampshire Christian Fellowship
 * Hampshire Union of Activists
 * Blacksmith's Guild
 * Living Newspaper Theatre Troop
 * AHOULA
 * Chameleon Club

Signer Seminar

Happening this Sunday; we will present a main presentation and breakout sessions. CoCA is creating a presentation on event planning.


 * CoCA is here to talk about signer seminar!

Monday, January 31
Agenda :


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Red Scare Fundraising Goal
 * Community Council Report back
 * Preregistration &amp; Signer Seminar Planning

Attendance : Sarah, Nelson, Nathan, Nick &amp; Melanie Cox (1st Mtg)


 * Absent: James (excused)
 * Rebecca has resigned from FiCom due to scheduling conflicts.

Minutes

Review of Funding Requests


 * Trip Requests
 * SJSF
 * Northeast Food and Justice Summit
 * Feb 25th - 27th; 20 attendees
 * Groups involved in request:
 * Students for a Just and Stable Future
 * Local Foods Initiative
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Population and Development Program
 * Lodging: Provided by Hampshire Students who have homes in the Boston area.
 * Transportation: Hampshire Vans - they will submit a later request for gas reimbursement.
 * Admission: $40 per student
 * Risk Assessment was completed TODAY!
 * APPROVED: $800
 * Publication Requests
 * The Omen
 * Projected 5 issues for Spring 2011
 * Asking for $1,750 for the entire semester
 * APPROVED: $378 for ONE issue, we will be approving one issue of the Omen at a time.
 * Food Requests
 * Hampshire Confucius
 * Requested $45 per meeting for 15 people
 * Requested to have it transfered to the Spiritual Life Office (they will use their p-card)
 * APPROVED: $180 for February meetings
 * Raices
 * Requested $60 per meeting for 15 people
 * Unfortunately, that is above the food funding cap. We will fund $3 per person.
 * APPROVED: $180 for February meetings

Review of Pended Requests:


 * EPEC Quilting Class
 * Pended due to clarification of class in J11
 * APPROVED: $33
 * EPEC Color Course
 * Pended due to clarification of class size and materials
 * Class size varied, there were often 5 people in the class
 * Materials will be used again in the future for community workshops
 * APPROVED: $130
 * SFU
 * USAS Confrence
 * The amount of students attending the trip went down to one from three
 * It was suggested, by the CLA, to fund $75
 * APPROVED: $75

Sisters comes in for a Chit-Chat

The group Sisters did not complete the General Information Form, necessary to obtain S11 funding, due to uncertainties within the signers. However, they've found a third signer and have decided to continue their activities in the Spring of 2011.

Sisters would like their $75 of initial food funding and $5 for their initial advertising fund.

Asian Media comes in for a Chit-Chat

They would like to organize a trip to Anime Boston (Apr 22-24), a convention featuring Asian media, as well as voice actors. They wanted to brainstorm funding possibilities with FiCom.


 * Projected Attendees: 27
 * Admission: $40 per person (5-6 people have already paid their own)
 * Lodging: $718 for 3 Marriott Hotel Rooms
 * Transportation: Independent student's cars
 * They've already done Risk Assessment with the CLA

This trip sounds very affordable, within the trip cap per member. A request will be submitted through Zoho.

Red Scare Fundraising Goals Conversation

Hampshire's Frisbee team, The Red Scare, takes an annual trip to Georgia, which costs around $7,000. However, they also do extensive fundraising every year for this by:


 * Hampshire Tournament: $115 per Frisbee team to compete at Hampshire
 * Selling calendars and Frisbees

The Fundraising goal has been set at $3,000.

Community Council Report Back

Community Council is taking the semester to rewrite its bylaws. They are considering different ways to structure funding and some of the sub-committees. Meetings will be open on Tuesdays (after this week).

Signer Seminar Planning

There will be a main lecture hall presentation that introduces FiCom and presents the SAF Guidelines, as well as giving the signers a "Tour de Zoho"

There will also be one round of Breakout Sessions that will occur directly after the Main Lecture Hall Presentation:


 * New Signers (Facilitator: Sarah Gordon)
 * Hampedia Presentation (Facilitator: Nelson Hernandez)
 * Avoiding Inaction: Discussion on Group Survivability (Facilitator: Nicholas Rubin)
 * FiCom &amp; COCA: Groups and Governance (Facilitator: Nathan Whitmore)
 * Seasoned Signers (Facilitator: Ananda Valenzuela)
 * Event Planning (CLA &amp; COCA Facilitators)

Each breakout session will also have a COCA facilitator.

Thursday, January 27
Agenda :


 * Review Funding Requests
 * Review Pended Funding Requests
 * Red Scare Fundraising Goal
 * Officer Elections
 * Preregistration &amp; Signer Seminar Planning
 * Hoodies

Attendance : Sarah, James, Nelson, Nathan &amp; Nick (late)

Minutes :

Review of Funding Requests:


 * Miscellaneous
 * EPEC
 * Jan-term Color EPEC Course
 * Materials for J11 course
 * Request is late, materials already used.
 * PENDING: Find out number of class attendees &amp; reuse of materials
 * Trip Requests
 * Contra Dance Collective
 * Trip called Dance Flurry (Feb 18th - 20th)
 * Hotel Costs: $786.48
 * Admission: $75*8 Attendees = $600
 * Total trip: $1386.48
 * Trip is above trip-cap, so we will fund what we can.
 * APPROVED: We've funded $815 of the amount.
 * Hampshire College Fencing Club
 * New England Club Championship
 * Total trip cost is $575 for 10 attendees
 * Emailed Pam Tinto for Risk Assessment (waiting for response)
 * APPROVED: All - Risk Assessment will pass.
 * Students for the Freedom to Unionize
 * United Students Against Sweatshops in Columbus, Ohio
 * Plane Tickets: $250
 * Admission: $30
 * The trip is for Feb 4th, so it is very soon and no Risk Assessment has been done.
 * The amount per person is also above the trip-cap
 * PENDING: Risk Management (there may be some short notice)
 * Equipment Requests
 * Climbers Coalition
 * REEL ROCK Film Tour 2010
 * This is an instructive film, to teach new climbers.
 * APPROVED: Amount: $33.95 for movie &amp; shipping.
 * Publications Requests
 * Re-Rad
 * $15 for 500 copies of ads THROUGHOUT the semester
 * Helped with strategic planning advertisements
 * APPROVED: All of the cost.
 * The Reader
 * Want to publish 800 books at $6.19 per book
 * Total cost is $4952
 * Expected to RETURN $1000 through sales of books at events such as commencement, family &amp; friends weekend, etc.
 * APPROVED: All of the cost.
 * Food Requests
 * UMOJA
 * $80 for meetings of 13 people
 * Food request is above food funding cap ($3 per person)
 * APPROVED: $156 for one month of meetings ($39 per meeting)
 * Community Council
 * They're having a day-long meeting, requesting $120
 * APPROVED: All the cost.
 * ASL Collective
 * 12 people per meeting / $30 per meeting
 * APPROVED: $300 for the entire semester.
 * Re-Rad
 * 10 people per meeting / $30 per meeting
 * APPROVED: $120 for a month of meeting
 * Fund Transfers
 * Counselor Advocates
 * Requested some transfers to the CHC for their Jan-term training and other miscellaneous items.
 * APPROVED &amp; transfered. ($600.00 written up on fund transfer mj)

Review of Pended Requests:


 * Hampshire Confucius
 * Asked for a TV for about $600.
 * We inquired about the accountabilty and the TV turning into a "place to watch TV by the people of Greenwich"
 * They recieved this funding from COCD instead.
 * DENIED: Already funded.

COCA comes in to Chit-Chat

FiCom previously reviewed COCA's Spring 2011 Budget at an earlier meeting. The budget has been dubbed "GOOD!" However, to fund the entire budget, and continue funding student groups through FiCom, the contingency fun must be dipped into this semester.

The Spring Jam Budget was also reviewed, and according to previous semester's calculations, along with budget projects within FiCom, it also looks fund-able. Again, as long as contingency is used.

COCA submitted an initial amount of $8,000 to be moved to the COCA account for Event Funding. APPROVED.

Officer Elections


 * Nick motions for Sarah to become Director of FiCom, James seconds.
 * Sarah motions for James to keep his position as Financial Director, Nathan seconds.
 * Nathan also shows interest in Financial Director for next semester.
 * Nelson motions for Nathan to become the Director of Council Relations, Sarah seconds.
 * James motions for Nelson to becoeme the new Community Liason, Nick seconds.

Miscellaneous


 * Nelson motions to officially change Article III of the FiCom Bylaws, moving the task of taking minutes during FiCom meetings to the Community Liason from the Director of Council Relations, Sarah seconds.