FiCom Meetings, Fall 2009 Minutes

This page contains meeting minutes from FiCom.

FiCom TO-DOs

 * FiCom and CC
 * HCEMS Proposal (Council wants a reportback by Feb 9)
 * Request to change bylaws re COCD money
 * let them know about changes to SAF Guidelines
 * FiCom and CLA
 * Pam Tinto- anything event-related MUST be approved by COCA (She sent QCA to FiCom)
 * Carolyn's role: how is it different from Brian's? Why is Marie now doing half of the work?
 * Signer Sem
 * Delineation of roles; what do you see as your role and responsibilities?
 * Student group recognition process (NSNS lists criteria beyond risk assessment)
 * Meeting with Dawn re working relationship
 * Bottled water
 * FiCom and COCA
 * Need to continue full audit of COCA's practices, as promised in CRB Report. Attend meetings to get better sense of how they fund
 * Bylaws (include each other in our bylaws)
 * Monthly joint FiCom/COCA meeting
 * SAF Listserv: tool for better communication between FiCom, COCA, and Pam
 * FiCom and COCD
 * Work out details of SAPs together
 * Better system of accountability, moving towards a system parallel to COCA
 * FiCom
 * should FiCom fund independent projects? (re HIP/Vibe question)
 * master signer spreadsheet on zoho, pw-protected?
 * calendar!
 * work with Marie re Zoho accounting system
 * FiCom 101
 * what are the differences between community council, ficom, and coca? How do systems work between them?
 * people don’t know how their money is being handled, get really worried about things like the Sam Light issue
 * Equipment system (non-permanent changed to semi-permanent?)
 * set up meeting with bob (rgarmirian@) to look at storage cabinet space
 * Mythos: "As of right now, the Mythos equipment is being stored in the Dakin G2 lounge. It's worked for us all of last year and so far this year, but I'm not certain whether it counts as a public space. If not, is there any place that's secure but easily accessible to us?"
 * Circus Folk Unite: "I know that you all are looking for feedback about storage for student

group equipment. This has long been a problem for Circus Folk Unite!, especially because we have a lot of gear, some of it awkward shapes &amp; sizes. We have a cabinet in the RCC lobby that houses all of our smaller-size equipment: juggling toys of many different shapes and sizes, facepaints, speakers, costumes, etc. We keep our folding mats in the South Lounge in the RCC with the permission of Bob and Marion from the RCC, who oversee the space. However, we have some things that are too big for the cabinet (stilts, hula hoops, unicycle, etc.) which at the moment are scattered in different residence areas.

We discussed the possibility of getting a small outdoor storage shed to keep right outside the RCC, against the building, with Bob. He checked with Physical Plant and was told that we aren't allowed to (see email below). Bob told us that 'the College' doesn't really approve of the various cabinets already in the RCC lobby (as the RCC is used for more formal events, and the condition of the cabinets in the lobby makes an impression on visitors). These cabinets hold equipment for many clubs and I think a few OPRA programs - fencing, soccer, frisbee, yoga, and circus among them. He suggested finding funding to fit new cabinets that use the space more efficiently and look better. I think now would be a great time for FiCom to try coordinating Community Council, the RCC, and involved student groups in finding a better, permanent solution!"


 * SAPs (Student Activated Projects) - Unrecognized student groups who want to do a project would have to meet with us, show that they are organized, etc, have detailed plan for money use, and we will fund them. Expectation that they will become recognized student groups the next semester. Should we do this? What should the expectations be? When would they need to do risk management? In what format should they submit requests? What information should they provide to us? Should there be a minimum number of students interested in getting involved in the project?
 * System for scanning RFPs (was supposed to be part of deal when FiCom stopped signing RFPs, to ensure that there is accountability, but it never happened). There is a scanner in CLA, so just need to figure out how system would work.
 * Direct deposit reimbursement?
 * bylaws do not mention SAF Guidelines
 * What kinds of bigger numbers/more detailed numbers analysis would we like to see from Marie?
 * Give students a guide to SAF - really simple explanation of how you pay the money, CC collects, gives to FiCom

FiCom Accounting
In the interests of documenting this for history's sake, I'm adding this information to our minutes page, as we have ceased to do this for Spring 2010.

Each FiCom member is in charge of keeping track of the finances of a subset of student groups, to ensure greater accountability and a closer working relationship with groups. On these pages, you can view the running totals of the student groups of which the member is in charge.


 * Ananda's Student Groups
 * Zilong's Student Groups
 * Mida's Student Groups
 * DeeDee's Student Groups
 * Luke's Student Groups
 * Wills's Student Groups
 * Daniel's Student Groups
 * Jackie's Student Groups
 * Madeleine's Student Groups
 * James's Student Groups
 * Julia's Student Groups

December 14

 * email: We ordered some comics for Comics Collective last semester, about $150 worth. However, Marie cancelled the orders since they were going to arrive over the summer. I am not sure why she did, since we are putting these comics in the library, and summer arrival hasn't been a problem before. I'm sorry that I haven't emailed sooner, I was unaware that she had cancelled the orders until this week. Since we are out of money now, do I need to re-apply next semester for the money
 * HIP
 * Duplications charges

Minutes Present: Ananda, Daniel, Julia, Luke, Mida, Jackie, Madeleine, Zilong, James, DeeDee (late) Excused: Frances


 * James Baldwin Scholars came in


 * Regarding trip request to NYC
 * Applied for funding in September
 * They were unaware that they had to do risk assessment
 * They have the waivers to go now – requesting that their request be looked at
 * Usually FiCom approves funding before risk assessment
 * The only funding needed now is $1,300 for the bus
 * The trip details were changed; they opened up more slots to make the trip open to the whole community
 * The students are covering everything but the bus
 * When is signup open? Janterm
 * Approved $1,300


 * How much money does FiCom have?


 * 601 has $8,000 before transferring in COCA's money
 * COCA's account is down to $3,600
 * Write another email to COCA asking about this
 * There is about $100,000 hanging out in student group accounts


 * Funding requests

Climbers Coalition


 * Need more information

HIP


 * Want to roll over $754 to pay for the gallery show in the spring
 * Requesting approval for a new use of funds in their account
 * Isn't this for an event?
 * Submit an itemized event request for the spring

Contra Dance Collective


 * Dance Flurry trip Feb 12-14
 * Need more information – how many rooms?
 * Can't be reimbursed for gas unless you are a defensive driver
 * Need to have an open event upon return? They hold open trips regularly
 * Suggestion to change the wording for that box
 * Is that box worth keeping?
 * How are they advertising?
 * FiCom only reimburses for half of registration fees if the fee is over $50
 * Suggestion to rework this decision
 * Request moved to pending, in need of more information

Glass Collective


 * Elements for the kiln
 * Already have the money in their budget
 * Why is the money in their budget?
 * They found a solution to the regulator without using all their funds that were allocated for this
 * Approved $40

Glass Collective


 * Design Conspiracy Pizza
 * This needs to be requested in advance
 * FiCom has frozen meeting food
 * There have already been groups that have contributed money to this
 * When did the meetings occur?
 * Do they have money in their budget that they can use?
 * Shouldn't penalize the Lemelson people because the signers never told them that meeting food was frozen
 * Should we put Glass Collective on probation?
 * Yes; they are requesting food funding after we froze food funding


 * Approved $344 to Lemelson; Glass Collective on the FiCom Probation List

COCA (for a group of students wanted to do an event)


 * Transfer to Center For Feminisms
 * Jennifer Block talk
 * Event was approved by COCA
 * Approved $153 from COCA to CFF

Blacksmiths' Guild


 * Fund transfer for their annual event to Lemelson
 * Funds approved by COCA; spent less than approved
 * Approved $360 Blacksmith's Guild to Lemelson


 * Comics Collective


 * There was apparently a comic that cost $130 that wasn't getting sent, so Marie canceled the order
 * Need to confirm that everything else is in the library now
 * Email them asking them to come in over Janterm regarding the use of the comics and what happened; send to Kristian (who was emailing FiCom) and to the signers


 * HIP


 * Have met with Pam


 * Notes from Marie


 * Pagan Collective had a duplications charge for $0.90 even though they are not a recognized student group this semester
 * Issues with duplications not checking IDs to make sure that people are actually signers for student groups
 * They were asked to do this earlier in the semester. Email them, cc Pam and Marie and note that this is a problem, they need to start checking IDs when they charge student groups
 * Zine Collective
 * Charged $374 that they hadn't been approved for
 * Was this for BDS? That was for less money and they were asked for more details
 * Email Zine Collective warning them that they need to follow up with FiCom about why this was charged, what is was for, and why weren't funding requests submitting. Make sure they follow up in a timely manner to avoid having the signers charged.


 * From the small groups during the retreat – email your notes to FiCom or put them up on Hampedia
 * All-signer email draft read aloud


 * Clarification that the spring funding form is different from the spring student group recognition form


 * SJP came in


 * Have $300 that they don't need to reimburse anymore
 * They were approved to use funds, but now they need to fill out RFPs, might need to meet with CLA
 * All paperwork goes through CLA; today was the paperwork deadline! Meet with Pam early tomorrow!


 * Can paperwork still be submitted in Janterm? We think so
 * Back to the email


 * Clarify that money they want to reallocate must be approved by FiCom first


 * What's going on with hoodies?


 * Nothing at the moment
 * Are we having any during the spring? Signer seminar is in the beginning of February


 * When is the first meeting in Janterm?


 * Monday January 11th at 6pm


 * Luke is giving up his voting slot this meeting, as he is going to be busier next semester and unable to attend every meeting

Ananda motions to make James a voting member. Jackie seconds. No blocks. James is now a voting member.


 * Voting member slots will be discussed with other bylaws changes
 * More intense advertising this spring
 * What are the views of FiCom on this campus?


 * Misdirected anger towards FiCom
 * View of FiCom as “the man”


 * Do we want to put Climax on the probation list?


 * They forgot to submit a funding request, so they called Ananda for vocal approval
 * Ananda said it was okay, but it would require full approval from FiCom, so it was brought to the Saturday retreat
 * Not putting them on the probation list because they were fully aware of the situation and took all the steps necessary to make this as correct as possible
 * This wasn't for the Climax most recently printed? No.


 * Clarification: Marie's salary is paid in full by FiCom, but the benefits must be paid by the institution


 * Marie is incredibly overworked this semester


 * How do accountability checks work?


 * It is made sure that funding was approved by FiCom or COCA, presently done by Marie, job of the CLA


 * Who is going to Council next semester?


 * We'll work on this during the Janterm retreat


 * Reminder to FiCom members: retreat, Saturday January 23rd, 2-7PM
 * Report back from Daniel – why isn't their all the money in FiCom's account?


 * FiCom never transferred themselves the $150 for redecorating the office after approving it
 * The money for the bus for the equality march cost an extra $150 or so


 * COCA and their funding


 * FiCom motioned to overturn COCA's decision to not spend the $5K, with the stipulation that if the motion did not pass, FiCom would take the $5K back.
 * COCA does not have $5K in their budget, and it is continually dropping
 * Should we send an email to the signers that they won't get funding for events for Janterm?
 * This isn't our territory
 * COCA still hasn't given us a Halloween breakdown, email them requesting it again
 * When do we need to determine what happens with their funding next semester?
 * FiCom's problem is not enough liquidity, how would $80K more in permanent funding help?
 * It would let FiCom know exactly how much money they have


 * The CLA and Student Services have almost entirely replaced what Community Council used to do
 * How can it be decided in the beginning of a semester what percent of the SAF goes to events? It changes so much every semester
 * COCA did not come to FiCom right away when they needed money


 * Maybe we should give COCA the money not for COCA's sake, but to make sure the students can have events
 * This seems like giving COCA more power when they need to improve their practices


 * FiCom and COCA use different funding practices


 * FiCom having authority over them can be helpful
 * Idea of value judgments happening in COCA
 * What if COCA were functioning as FiCom wished they were, regardless of who was on COCA?
 * FiCom would need to see what that would mean before giving money up front


 * Who writes the SAF guidelines?


 * FiCom
 * Council approves them


 * FiCom wants to move COCD to a COCA-style funding system


 * COCD has been funding items not under SAF guidelines
 * Did they fund a Division III?
 * Send an email to COCD saying that we are worried we might have to put them on the probation list because we fear their funding does not follow the SAF guidelines, and after repeated attempts at conversation we have not received information concerning detailed funding information from the body in order to prove accountability and transparency.


 * CLA still tells groups that they can make purchases before FiCom approves them?
 * COCD has been taking minutes, but they are not posted online
 * Try to play around on Hampedia over break and see what signers might need that isn't there


 * Forms are difficult to find
 * Feel free to make edits and add information


 * Suggestion that students care more about getting money than about where the money comes from
 * Sentiment that $80K is too large to give up front, but having each body have a chunk of money is not a bad thing


 * Each body needs to have some idea of what they're going to have to be able to operate effectively


 * We can still allot money to COCA


 * What is the difference?
 * If there isn't a difference, why can't we keep in it our account?
 * If FiCom of the future does a poor job, they might spend in to COCA's allocation
 * What if FiCom needs to go into the red when COCA still has money allotted for them in FiCom's pot?
 * If it were all allotted to them in the beginning, they probably wouldn't request more money even if there were tons of events


 * Try to work all this out without the need to go to Council
 * Reminder: Anybody can join FiCom or COCA!
 * Suggestion that COCA feeling like FiCom's child has a lot to do with the history from earlier this semester
 * Money is what gives the feeling of power; all of this is power plays
 * Thought that there is a difference between budgeting and allocation
 * What about giving COCA a fixed sum for the semester, but after that they would have to come back to FiCom to request more?
 * What about submitting a written document to Council concerning the subcommittees not following the SAF guidelines, but wanting an initial budget?
 * Is there any question of COCA not following SAF guidelines?


 * Is this the best way to regulate the spending of money on events?
 * What about value judgments?
 * How is it determined that events are “too expensive”?
 * What if it has to do with the number of students that are being served?
 * Is this actually true?


 * FiCom still needs to have some say in what COCA can spend on Hampshire Halloween and Spring Jam
 * Have we come to any decisions as to how we are funding COCA?


 * What if we give them $40K at the beginning of the semester, they apply for Spring Jam, then come back for more money
 * Feeling that then we have no say in how they spend the money
 * If FiCom makes up a framework for spending money over the semester, we can fit COCA into that
 * Definitely give COCA larger sums each time they ask for money than we gave them this semester
 * Do a monthly report?
 * FiCom and COCA have to communicate!
 * There needs to be an accountability check
 * Suggestion for COCA: When COCA receives events, review it right away as opposed to reviewing the ones that are happening closer to their meeting
 * The system is run on a first-come-first-serve basis; signers should be rewarded for submitting events early
 * So long as this is transparent


 * A lot of signers would prefer to submit a budget up front to FiCom


 * This is possible; perhaps FiCom should encourage this and reward signers who do, while still accounting for groups which might not know exactly what they want to do all semester within the first week


 * Meeting adjourned 6:54

December 12

 * Held five-hour meeting: FiCom December 12 2009 Retreat

December 9
Agenda:


 * emails (Jose upwards)
 * draft retreat agendahttps://hampedia.org/w/index.php?title=FiCom_Meetings,_Fall_2009_Minutes&amp;action=edit&amp;section=3
 * fund transfers
 * email: We ordered some comics for Comics Collective last semester, about $150 worth. However, Marie cancelled the orders since they were going to arrive over the summer. I am not sure why she did, since we are putting these comics in the library, and summer arrival hasn't been a problem before. I'm sorry that I haven't emailed sooner, I was unaware that she had cancelled the orders until this week. Since we are out of money now, do I need to re-apply next semester for the money
 * COCA @6pm
 * HCEMS Proposal (Council wants a reportback by the third semester of the spring
 * Omen- pull $2000 back from 672 general (money that will go unused)
 * all-signer email (Open Letter, retreats, deadlines and dates for the spring/janterm, final meeting this semester)

Minutes Present: Luke, Daniel, Julia, Zilong, Jackie, DeeDee, Ananda, Mida, James (late) Excused: Madeleine Guests: Frances


 * There is no wireless internet in the Airport Lounge!
 * Ananda's class ran very late, we should start without her
 * Retreat agenda to be reviewed

Amnesty International came in Regarding funding requests they were told to come in for


 * $145 for a five-college dinner
 * $20 for stamps
 * Where was the dinner held? FPH
 * The original request got turned down by COCA
 * COCA never sent an email when this event was put on pending
 * The group held the event anyway
 * A request for stamps in the beginning of the semester was rejected
 * They were told by CLA to resubmit the request, but just did it


 * Make sure that your funding requests have been approved before you make any purchases! FiCom needs to approve the request in order for you to be allowed to be reimbursed!


 * How many people were at the event?
 * Somewhere around 20
 * Will email them tonight!


 * Should FiCom move their meeting so they can access internet? Then we'd have to send everybody coming to talk to FiCom somewhere else, so no.
 * Report back from Council


 * HCEMS proposal needs to be reviewed (work w/ SafeCom)


 * The Omen says we can pull $2,000 from their account back into 601
 * Who is writing fund transfers tonight? Zilong is learning
 * All-signer email needs to be written


 * When is the final meeting for this semester? Next Monday?
 * Ananda needs FiCom's approval to send an all-signer email out tomorrow after the meeting with CLA because she will have deadlines. FiCom approves.

SFT came in


 * Submitted a bunch of funding requests after money was spent
 * What happened?
 * Weren't aware of some funding policies
 * Difficult to fund retroactively because: what if the purchase was not within SAF guidelines?
 * What did the old signers tell the new signers?
 * Didn't inform the new signers about the details of funding
 * The new signers were unaware that they had to apply for money to go into their account
 * The new signers became signers midway through the semester
 * Do they feel like they know how everything works now? Yes. Feel free to ask FiCom any questions you might have!


 * What are we doing about Amnesty International?
 * All-signer email first


 * Time of last meeting: next Monday
 * Are we meeting during Janterm?
 * Who is here during Janterm? FiCom would have quorum
 * Worry that if we don't meet during Janterm, groups might not have time to submit requests for Janterm
 * We wouldn't have any money
 * We have the $5,000 that COCA isn't gong to spend
 * Council did not overturn COCA's motion to not spend that money
 * COCA has only $4,000 in their account?
 * Should we move the money back from COCA's account into 601?
 * We should check as to why it is less than $5,000 first
 * COCA has $4,031.80
 * Should we write up the fund transfer?
 * Let's talk with them first. They're coming in at 6.
 * Janterm?
 * Let's meet during Janterm
 * Once-a-week during Janterm. When?
 * Mondays 6-7PM.
 * Reminder to FiCom members: There is also a retreat at the end of Janterm!
 * Deadlines for forms will be in the all-signer email


 * Zoho
 * Amnesty International


 * COCA never emailed them so they didn't realize that their event was pended or denied
 * We need to ask COCA about the $1,000 and to email groups
 * Signers should check the Zoho to find out about their request
 * They are used to receiving emails from FiCom
 * Customer service! The bodies exist to serve the community
 * Sentiment that if signers really care, they should follow through and contact the body
 * Sentiment that Zoho is an excuse to not contact student groups
 * Signers are not supposed to spend money they haven't been approved for
 * Signers just came in and told us that they don't understand that
 * There is an FAQ on Hampedia
 * This is really hard to find
 * There are always going to be people that don't understand
 * Zoho sends an automated email for certain sections when requests are submitted


 * We have a lot to get through. What are we doing about Amnesty International?


 * Reasons for opposing: against SAF guidelines, the signers have to check if the money was approved, the event has already happened, the funding was initially denied, also: it's an event.
 * It was a meeting of five-college students
 * A meeting of five-college students can be either a meeting or an event
 * It was requested as an event
 * FiCom was going to start a “probation” list
 * This was done before, but it didn't do anything formal
 * Acts as a punishment to the students
 * Fund Amnesty International and tell them they are on a probational list
 * Are we putting groups or signers on the list?
 * The groups should be conscious of who is signing for them
 * Should this be a public list?
 * FiCom needs to inform signers about this list
 * If this list is not published, this does not adhere to the transparency that FiCom has been working towards
 * Where is the last list? On Hampedia; of the groups that hadn't updated their Hampedia pages
 * FiCom would need to put a description of this list out
 * How about “to remove yourself from the list, you must repeat signer seminar”
 * Who would run this? Isn't feasible
 * Description: “This is the FiCom Probation List. If you are on this list, you broke some FiCom rule(s). Your group will be on this list until the end of next semester. If during the time when your group is on this probation list, your group breaks any more FiCom rules, your group's ability to be funded will be compromised.”
 * What about COCA?
 * This is an experiment. They don't need to be involved with this if they don't want to.


 * Amnesty International

Ananda motions to approve $145. Luke seconds. Daniel blocks. 3 approve. 2 opposed. Motion passes.


 * Approved $145
 * Amnesty International


 * Stamp request
 * Lots of students have said that this has a positive impact in the community
 * Can FiCom look to see why this was denied?
 * Was this pended and they were asked to come in?
 * Did the signer know that they needed to submit a funding request?
 * There might have been confusing that the $120 was for initial FOOD funding
 * This wasn't found submitted anywhere
 * Approved $20

Hampedia Project


 * Why 5 year subscription over 1 year?
 * Cost-benefit analysis
 * We don't spend SAF money from one semester over other semesters
 * What about permanent equipment funding?
 * Does this fit the SAF guidelines?
 * Question of looking at the rules individually versus the purpose of the rules
 * What happens if the group dissolves for a semester?
 * All of FiCom's records are on Hampedia. FiCom will be around as long at the SAF is around.
 * FiCom has interest in keeping Hampedia running.
 * Then it should be paid for out of FiCom's budget.
 * Hampedia Project is asking for the funding
 * Hampedia benefits the entire community
 * Ananda motions to approve Hampedia Project for $137. Luke seconds. No blocks.
 * Approved for $137


 * SFT


 * Can we blanket approve to do the same for them as for Amnesty International and then approve all their requests, so long as we put them on the list?
 * Funding requests read out.
 * First meeting for $33
 * SFT Hampshire Chapter Fee to NY HQ – hasn't come up yet. Approved for $100.
 * Did SFT get initial food funding?
 * Yes. It was already all used.
 * Five-college regional conference. Food portion. $200
 * Did this already happen? No, it's in January.
 * Is this on campus? It is in the five-college area
 * Is this an event?
 * It is a conference. They are not holding it.
 * Approved for $200
 * Registration fee for the conference. 10 members, $10/person.
 * This should be on a trip form.
 * Is it too late in the semester to ask them to fill out the right form?
 * Approved $100, note in the email that it goes on trip form next time, we are approving it now because it's late in the semester.
 * Screening. $161 on food.
 * Let them know we are trying to cut down on the amount of money given for food funding. Please do not spend more than $4/person.
 * How many people were at the screening? 20. Should we only give them $80?
 * They didn't know that we have a $4/person policy
 * Tabled until later this meeting.


 * COCA came in


 * Let's make this portion of the meeting only until 6:30 as we have a lot to get through
 * The Financial Committee is supposed to make the financial decisions
 * Why is there less than $5,000 in the COCA account? There is only $4,031,80
 * Is this from Campus Camp Wellstone?
 * Marie just put this through, and there is a PO in the office still
 * COCA says they will follow through to see where this money went
 * FiCom has been receiving complaints about COCA not sending out emails about decisions. FiCom asked COCA to do this last time they came in.
 * COCA hasn't made many decisions since then, and has been discussing the best way to do that.
 * It was unclear what the wording of the email was supposed to be, when there were multiple people sending out emails
 * Sometimes the wrong signers of the group were getting the information
 * The information is both on Hampedia and on the Zoho.
 * Suggestion that people in pending need to be emailed
 * The signers are confused because COCA was sending out emails last semester and FiCom has been sending out emails for a long time.
 * The emails don't need to explain anything, just say whether the event was approved or denied, and to come to the meetings with questions
 * COCA and FiCom are both trying to code the Zoho to send out automated emails when decisions are made
 * FiCom has received feedback the email is the best way to get in touch with signers
 * Does FiCom have any more questions for COCA?
 * Regarding the budget that was given to Council
 * What do the target numbers mean?
 * The submission date has nothing to do with it. The target is to spend that amount of money on events happen within that week.
 * Would allow COCA to not worry about running out of money in the end of the semester
 * COCA is asking for the money to be in COCA's account for the semester.
 * It is difficult to believe that the money will be guaranteed
 * Feeling of a power struggle, this does not benefit students
 * Checks and balances are necessary
 * Idea that FiCom holding money for COCA in FiCom's account is not a check or balance
 * If the money is reserved for COCA, why should it not be transferred to COCA's account?
 * If FiCom wants veto power, then implement veto power
 * COCA cannot accurately and adequately fund events without knowing the amount for the semester up front
 * COCA thought they were told at the beginning of the semester that as long as they were spending the SAF correctly, they would get $10,000 when they asked for it.
 * This lead to COCA thinking that they would have money that they never got
 * COCA was funded the entire semester. COCA's requests were never turned down. COCA still has funding, but has decided to not spend it.
 * COCA put events in pending because they were submitted really early, so COCA thought they would have money to fund them in the future
 * Why couldn't COCA spend the money that they had at the time on the events?
 * It would have run COCA's account out of money; COCA could only look two weeks ahead
 * The target numbers were not higher than $15,000 for a month
 * FiCom is the budgeting body
 * The idea that COCA has to come back to FiCom for funding is a system that didn't work, and needs to be revised
 * FiCom did not think that COCA thought they would get $10,000 every time that COCA came back to FiCom; FiCom thought that is was going to be a conversation as to how much they could give COCA
 * Does rolling funding not work for events?
 * Rolling for the signers is fine, not so much for COCA
 * Lack of trust between FiCom and COCA
 * There is no guarantee that at the end of the semester COCA would have any money
 * FiCom has been in a different situation this year because they have not been allowed to spend into the red, and there have been more requests this semester than ever before
 * FiCom was still able to get COCA money, which COCA isn't spending
 * All this is going to be improved on next semester
 * Sentiment that COCA is capable of budgeting within a semester
 * Giving COCA the money at the beginning of the semester can put the committees on an even plane
 * There really should be a dialogue between FiCom and COCA to improve the system that is obviously broken
 * COCA feels like FiCom's child
 * Is there another reason aside from “FiCom is the budgeting committee” for not putting the money in COCA's account? FiCom can budget money to events
 * FiCom does agree with COCA that they need an upper limit to fund correctly
 * Two of the problems:
 * Splitting up the money virtually guarantees that the two committees will not communicate
 * It's a lot easier on the business office's end; a lot simpler for the business office to do fund transfers
 * COCA is now a budgeting committee, whether or not they were in the past
 * FiCom doesn't give COCA power; Council does
 * Were COCA's bylaws approved by Council?
 * Having a clear projection of the semester can help student groups understand how much money they can apply for
 * Suggestion of there being caveats on the money being transferred to COCA (having liaisons, making COCA come in every week, sending decisions to FiCom, etc)
 * We are already over the time alloted to this issue
 * Suggestion that COCA and FiCom meet over an extended period over Janterm to discuss this more in detail.
 * COCA was hoping to get something set up before Janterm
 * There is only a week!
 * Suggestion that if both committees were targeting for each week, having the Financial Directors of the committees meet every week is helpful
 * COCA leaves
 * Apprehensions because: the view of COCA in the community, they don't have clear funding guidelines, and their bylaws need to be approved by Council
 * Suggestion that the money needs to stay in 601
 * Next year's COCA might not be the same
 * What about FiCom?
 * We are the budgeting body, we have Marie
 * Could put this up for review at the end of the semester
 * Every time a pot is split, flexibility is lost
 * COCA is basing their argument of not having money on the choice they made not to spend the money FiCom secured for them at the end of the semester
 * Disscussion of heavy power structures in COCA, pointed out that each member only has one vote
 * This tabled so it can go on the agenda for the retreat. Please FiCom try to think about this and come to clear conclusions concerning your thoughts on the topic
 * Send COCA an email asking them for a couple times that would work for them over Janterm to meet


 * Funding requests
 * SFT


 * Screening for $161
 * Approved $161
 * Screening for $38
 * Approved $38


 * Fund transfers


 * Sexperts
 * Move $1,128 to Center for Feminisms for money they used that was already approved
 * For what?
 * Already been approved for event funding
 * How much money is in their account?
 * $1,363
 * Approved $1,128
 * CAs
 * Rest of the semester's calling service
 * $262

SJP came in


 * Clarification
 * Was approved for everything except for the ones they don't know the numbers for
 * Check with the other signers; an email was sent to the contact on the Hampedia page

Students for the Freedom to Unionize came in


 * Fund transfer to SJP


 * SFU wants to contribute money to the conference


 * Say that SJP is low on the conference budget
 * What might not have been prepared for?
 * A couple speakers decided to stay at the hotel, a couple speakers that showed up last minute
 * Somebody fronted $1,400 for the t-shirts for the merchandise sold; SJP has only gotten $800 back
 * FiCom cannot approve a fund transfer that is not for clear expenses
 * The money is already in the account
 * Anything funded through the SAF needs to be itemized
 * The fund transfer should also have been asked for before the event
 * Because once the money is not used on what it was given for, it belongs to 601
 * Submit a list of what exactly happened last minute and how that affected the budget
 * Groups cannot treat excess money sitting in their budget as money to be used on whatever they would like
 * Bureaucracy also prevents students from doing what they want to do
 * Have SJP submit something alongside SFU
 * Can SJP send FiCom a copy of all the expenses that they incurred over the course of the event?
 * They know of everything, but it hasn't been consolidated
 * The conference was about $16,000 and only about $1,000 was funded out of FiCom
 * FiCom need to know where that $1,000 is supposed to go
 * SJP gave this to FiCom
 * Submit the same thing for SFU's pending fund transfer to SJP
 * Discomfort with what happened with the conference – SJP had another organization spend money for the conference and is now paying them back
 * The $1,000 was approved for specifics about the conference
 * SJP submitted an itemized list of why they were paying the company $1,000
 * FiCom is a body that should be supporting student activities on campus; sometimes this means reexamining rules
 * The $1,000 is going to the company directly


 * CAs


 * Do not have enough money in their account to follow through on their fund transfers
 * Pending


 * Crazy Pitches


 * Email them letting them know that their event wasn't approved by COCA
 * If Crazy Pitches comes after the event, having already spent the money, FiCom needs to say no
 * This would be going over COCA's head
 * Frustration that FiCom has given out some event-related money, but it was argued that each allocation of money did not count as funding events for various reasons. Some conclude this means FiCom has not 'funded events'


 * Some FiCom members leave as it is 7:04
 * Contra Dance Collective


 * Want to do a trip during Janterm and want to know if they should submit a funding request
 * Yes!


 * Meeting adjourned 7:07

December 7
Agenda:


 * Money to move back into 601:
 * Quiz Bowl acct #643 ($130)
 * Dandelion Den acct #698 ($120)
 * lockers- can someone purchase locker locks by Wed meeting? (set budget)
 * Equipment check-in with Dan
 * letter to community
 * statements for Council tomorrow
 * Draft agenda for next retreat


 * Wrote FiCom December 2009 Letter to the Community

Minutes

Present: Ananda, Luke, Mida, Julia, Daniel, Madeleine Guests: Frances Excused: Zilong

HCEMS


 * $3900 was alloted by FiCOm, only $3400 is present – need to follow up to see where the $500 went
 * HCEMS gave out 4 $600 scholarships, totaling $2400


 * Did anybody on FiCom go to the QCA meeting about Drag Ball?


 * Yes. It was rather productive – there were a lot of good ideas as to how to make drag ball a safer place


 * Who is writing fund transfers tonight? Mida
 * Can FiCom fund anything tonight? We don't have any money
 * The SAF for the spring has started coming in


 * There is $225,000 in 601
 * Should we fill the contingency?
 * We should act as if we don't have the money, since it is for spring


 * Emailed Wills, he doesn't want to be on FiCom anymore
 * Was the email to COCA sent? Not yet. Will happen after tonight's meeting.
 * Notes from the latest retreat are up
 * Luke motions to take away Wills' voting membership. Daniel seconds. No blocks. Motion approved; Wills is no longer a voting member.


 * Madeleine is next on the list to be made a voting member
 * Luke motions to make Madeleine a voting member. Jackie seconds. No blocks. Motion approved. Madeleine is now a voting member.


 * Is there any money to go back into 601?


 * Quizbowl says we can take the $130 from them
 * Dandelion Den says we can take their food money of $120
 * The Omen told FiCom that there are 30 groups who haven't touched their initial food funding


 * Was every group given $120 for food whether or not they requested initial food funding?


 * Supposedly not. Every group was given $10 for advertising automatically


 * Lockers


 * We need to buy locks
 * Who wants to go buy them? Jackie and Luke volunteer
 * We will approve the exact amount to be paid back on Wednesday; this should be about $20
 * The locks need to have two keys come with them
 * The lockers have dials built into them.
 * FiCom was told we would need to buy locks.
 * Are the dials functional?
 * FiCom will check this out later tonight


 * Equipment


 * Daniel will be checking in with FiCom about the equipment situation next Monday


 * Letter to the community


 * Read aloud.
 * Can't be sent out until we hear back from COCA
 * This is time-sensitive

SJP came in


 * Regarding their conference
 * Most of their funds went through the Peace Development Fund, but they did request money from FiCom (for honorarium for a speaker, money for printing, and gas for trips)
 * They wrote the check for the speaker through the PDF, and did printing through Collective Copies
 * Asking to use Hampshire funds to reimburse people for travel; this was originally allocated through PDF
 * Can they get paperwork for what the FiCom funds were supposed to be used for?
 * Ask if they can they talk to Wendy in the business office about this?
 * This is for travel expenses for some people that were promised them
 * FiCom would have to approve the type of expenses, but not give any more money, since the money is already in the account
 * Everything needs to be itemized and clear
 * Let FiCom know when you submit the request
 * Make sure that all the paperwork is in order!


 * Letter to the community


 * Reread aloud
 * Edits made
 * How is this letter going out?
 * Daily Digest, Hampedia, Signer emails, ask a Dean of Students to send it to the community?
 * Just the Digest and Hampedia.
 * Email all signers? Should we send it just to certain groups who have been involved?
 * An all-signer email was just sent out, and one is going to go out again soon
 * This can be put in another all-signer email
 * Daily Digest, Hampedia, and including a link to the letter and a paragraph about this in the all-signer email to be sent out within a week. Approved by FiCom.


 * Funding Requests
 * Students for a Free Tibet


 * Didn't understand how funding worked this year
 * Made purchases, thinking they had the money
 * This group changed over signers right after signer seminar
 * Why don't the new signers have to go to signer seminar?
 * The requests come to around $500
 * $32.13 + $100 + $200 + $160.41 + $37.97 = $530.51 total
 * The signers have gone to the CLA multiple times to try to understand how student group funding works
 * Would the business office approve their receipts at this point?
 * If the business office wasn't going to reimburse them, the CLA should have told them that


 * Does FiCom have money?


 * This depends on what you are counting
 * The money currently in FiCom's account, excluding next semester, is at $3,000
 * Questions as to if Excalibur's and 777's budgets are going to come back to FiCom (totaling about $3,000)
 * Another $1,000 go back to 601 from FiCom's account from the HCEMS scholarships
 * There is currently $3,650 in FiCom's general account; $2,400 is needed for the HCEMS
 * $1,200 approved to come out of FiCom's account


 * SFT


 * When did they start meeting with CLA?
 * Before Thanksgiving break
 * The requests have been sitting in the account since before the retreat


 * What about a policy to not reimburse money already spent?


 * Idea that this isn't fair when people are trying and don't understand
 * Student group signers change. How does punishing the old signers teach the new signers a lesson?
 * Add to the signer change form a question as to if the new signers have attended signer seminar
 * Being a signer comes with its responsibilities
 * This is not the first group this semester to be reimbursed retroactively
 * This IS going to keep happening
 * Suggestion to make a change to group recognition process to make sure that the signers understand the rules entirely
 * Sentiment that this would make this less accessible to the student body
 * FiCom should make the signer binder a bit more accessible
 * The new signers of SFT are not at fault so much as the old signers who didn't give them any information
 * What if the new signers can't afford to pay for the $600?

COCA came in to answer questions


 * COCA would like to get on FiCom's agenda for Wednesday unless FiCom can sit in on their meeting tomorrow
 * Want to make sure that all of both the committees can meet at some point
 * Can COCA come in to the FiCom retreat on Saturday?
 * COCA will discuss this tomorrow
 * Question from FiCom to COCA: Is COCA going to issue a statement regarding the QCA situation?
 * No. QCA never applied for Drag Ball funding, nor did they address COCA or ask COCA for details
 * COCA wrote up a statement saying that they are no longer funding events – this is going to go out after COCA votes to approve it


 * Back to SFT


 * The food requests have already passed the 30-day deadline
 * There is one request still eligible to be refunded
 * The other two events do not appear to have happened yet
 * These should go to COCA
 * Ananda volunteers to follow up with the CLA to find out if the business office will reimburse them and what discussions the CLA have had with them
 * Have them come in on Wednesday to discuss this and what can be done about it in the future


 * Amnesty International


 * Had a request for the five college meetup, said this wasn't processed
 * Ask them to come in
 * Asking for $20 for stamps from the beginning of the semester
 * Talked to CLA about this
 * Why is this coming in now?
 * Where was the issue with this?
 * Should we ask the signer to come in for this, too?


 * Hampedia Project


 * Want to transfer money that was supposed to be used on a trip to pay for domain names
 * Need more info: what domain names, where is the money going
 * Can FiCom fund subscriptions?
 * This does help secure the domain name
 * Asking the group why it is necessary to ask for 5-year registration? How much cheaper per year does it really wind up being?


 * The only other requests are from SFT, who we are going to ask to come in
 * How many more meetings does FiCom have left this semester?


 * Is FiCom going to meet during Janterm?
 * Ask COCA in the email if they are meeting during Janterm


 * Council tomorrow


 * A bunch of FiCom members are going to be there
 * Statement to Council regarding budgeting with the other subcommittees
 * Should FiCom report to Council on the complaints that we have received about the QCA situation?
 * We should forward the complaints that are relevant to Council, as well as a spreadsheet of the comments and complaints form

SJP returned


 * They couldn't submit their request because Zoho appeared to be down. They will try again, also handed in print copies of their requests

QCA came in


 * To talk about remaining budget from Queertillion
 * TSA paid for MEN, so QCA has money in their account
 * QCA would like to work with Food For Thought Books to put on an event
 * This would go through COCA
 * QCA was told by Pam Tinto to talk to FiCom
 * COCA would be able to tell FiCom to transfer the money


 * Here's what happens


 * COCA approves the event
 * The money isn't all spent
 * The remaining money stays in the general account
 * This money falls under FiCom's jurisdiction
 * Event requests go through COCA
 * FiCom then approves fund transfers that COCA requests for events
 * So, request an event from COCA, go to their meeting, tell them you ALREADY have the money
 * COCA can tell FiCom to approve this fund transfer


 * The money is to be used for honorarium in an event
 * Noted that we are going to send the comments and complaints to Council
 * Need to follow up with the CLA to make sure they don't mistakenly send event requests to FiCom
 * If we want to come into Council tomorrow, we need to email Council to get on their agenda in order to be allowed to speak
 * Statement to Council read aloud


 * Email Council saying that FiCom will need to get on the agenda to make a motion in the beginning of the meeting (immediately after reportbacks)
 * Include that many members of FiCom are going to be showing up the Council meeting
 * Statement approved


 * SJP


 * Did COCA approve the $1,000 honorarium?
 * The money wouldn't have been in their account if COCA hadn't approved it
 * Can we approve their request right now, with a separate request being submitted for the travel expenses which the numbers for aren't known yet?
 * $936.78 for flight reimbursements for 3 people
 * Approval for $937 to be spent on different expenses than it was originally allotted for, let them know that they MUST submit a second request for the other costs

Meeting adjourned 7:01PM

December 5

 * FiCom held a retreat on this date. Learn more here: FiCom December 5 2009 Retreat

December 2
Minutes 

Present: Ananda, Daniel, Julia, Luke, DeeDee, Jackie (late), Madeleine (late)

QCA came in


 * Wanted to know why they were denied a P-Card
 * Didn't approve any groups that have been having issues with paperwork for the past two semester
 * This is going to be a test-run; P-Cards will be open to all groups later
 * FiCom was told that QCA had problems with purchase orders in the past spring


 * Notes from FiCom retreat are on Hampedia


 * This was an in-school retreat
 * This was during October break
 * Retreat notes are listed separately on the main FiCom page, and a link is under meeting minutes
 * Information about all the money FiCom spends is available publicly
 * The “retreat” is really just a really long meeting


 * Identity-based groups at Hampshire have had problems with FiCom in the past


 * QCA has put together a preliminary budget to secure the funding they need to support their groups
 * QCA is also looking to work with other groups for Drag Ball
 * How does FiCom justify giving non-identity based groups so much money after Action Awareness Week?
 * Is FiCom going to become more mindful of how they spend the SAF?
 * In the past, FiCom has never run out of money
 * No group is being treated specially; some groups are just asking for more money
 * Why would QCA ask for more money when they don't get their meeting food money?
 * Also QCA events have been rejected
 * If they don't get the funding they need, how are they going to host open events?
 * COCA and FiCom fund somewhat differently; this needs to be addressed. If both groups are funding with SAF money, the same guidelines should apply to both bodies.
 * QCA has issues with not being funded continually throughout the semester
 * Suggestion that COCA has become the scapegoat for a larger system; also has been unchecked
 * If other groups were given the amount of money that the groups which get more funding are allowed, they would be able to host larger/better events
 * The three events that QCA has just requested are under pending because COCA has not had money to fund anything
 * FiCom used to do all the budgeting, including events
 * Because money is now going between these two bodies, there is more bureaucracy and more issues are coming up
 * COCA does not appear to be funding events for the rest of the semester
 * How is FiCom doing anything about COCA when Sam Light is still a co-chair?
 * FiCom does not believe it is their right or role to determine who runs COCA. Go to Community Council?
 * How do we hold all of COCA accountable?
 * The events QCA submitted were posted long before COCA stopped giving out money
 * What groups did COCA continue funding before they ran out of money?
 * They were funding whatever was closest to the date of their meeting
 * QCA says they lost their funding for Queertillion on the day of the event
 * FiCom asked COCA to write QCA about this issue
 * QCA used balance that TSA had from Translove Coffehouse to fund Queertillion
 * COCA never followed up with QCA about this
 * What does QCA believe that FiCom should address during their retreat?
 * Action Awareness Week demands which were approved by the administration
 * How identity-based groups promote the college, but are unsupported by the college
 * Fear that this is becoming cyclical; because QCA is not getting funded now, they can't get funded appropriately in the future
 * Drag Ball is put on because it is one of the two events that Hampshire is most well-known for
 * Comments from QIPOC
 * Third signer was unable to stay in Hampshire
 * CLA has not made any exceptions
 * QIPOC planned all the queer events on this campus last semester
 * Administration is unwilling to spend money on anything right now
 * Action Awareness Week demands were settled upon
 * Administration made a lot of decisions for FiCom, while the administration should not (and doesn't) have that kind of power over FiCom
 * FiCom does want to help
 * FiCom works with many groups on campus; it is suggested that we put pressure on the groups to show how the campus is affected
 * Has QCA been using the $3,000 that has been permanently allotted?
 * This is for the center, not for the group
 * This is to be used on student activities; the center holds student activities with this money
 * The center is not the best space (there is no internet, it is falling apart)
 * How is this money allotted?
 * QCA signers, the monitors of the space use this, some of the denied QCA events
 * A line-by-line on how that money was spent is due 12/10
 * The groups are not the ones that have initial access to the money, but the students who work under the spaces
 * FiCom encourages people to fill out the comment form with as much detail as possible
 * We would like to get to the bottom of these problems and make sure that they don't continue to happen
 * Regarding the new closed group policy
 * Worry that it will negatively affect small identity-based groups
 * The way to open up the group does not have to be an event
 * Our guidelines stated that we could not fund closed groups, thus closed groups continuously got questioned by FiCom. The new policies are meant to change that, to properly legitimize closed groups
 * Make sure to fill out the comments form with as many specific details and comments as possible
 * COCA deals favorably with groups which have been reliable in the past
 * There is a large signer turnover in all groups, so should this be the case?
 * Also submit comments, complaints, questions, etc, to Community Council
 * FiCom is trying to move away from unnecessary bureaucracy while maintaining accountability

SMIFF came in


 * Marie purchased the software which is being mailed
 * The product takes 6-8 weeks to be delivered
 * The company was called and said that the package is in the mail
 * The company said there is an invoice in the box, which is being mailed
 * There was no online receipt, and the company refused to email or send a copy due to security reasons
 * FiCom asked SMIFF to give the Username and Password since it is equipment
 * Marie has the UN and PW
 * SMIFF thought that Marie would give this to FiCom
 * Marie tried to contact SMIFF multiple times with no reply, SMIFF says they emailed Marie a reply
 * Maybe it got caught in Hampshire's webmail system
 * One of the signers was also out of the country for the past two and half weeks without email or phone
 * Marie had been trying to contact SMIFF for over a month
 * Is SMIFF's Hampedia up to date?
 * SMIFF is still talking to the donor for the group in order to update the Hampedia extensively and accurately
 * SMIFF will be transparent on Hampedia once they get their page up and running
 * Signers need to call companies and make sure they have the correct information – this is not Marie's job
 * Even after going to signer seminar, it might not have been entirely clear as to how to go about making purchases
 * Should there be guidelines for P-Card purchases typed up online?
 * FiCom needs to be able to get in touch with groups via email at all times
 * The first email the other signers of SMIFF received was from FiCom
 * Did Marie not have the email addresses of the other signers? This could have alleviated some of the issues
 * In the inventory, please describe what the database is and why access to it is useful
 * SMIFF is still in its beginning stages

Red Scare came in


 * Marie cannot process RFPs
 * One is for food reimbursement; they are requesting more than they have in their food account
 * Red Scare had filled out a fund transfer request for $50 to cover the rest of this RFP which was approved
 * This would be a long time for a fund transfer to not have gone through (about 2 weeks)
 * This money was pulled from the general budget. Where did it go?
 * Is it possible that Red Scare spent more money on something than expected after they gave money back to FiCom?
 * Submit a miscellaneous request
 * There is another RFP for reimbursement for a defensive driver
 * The student became a defensive driver, but the RFP was held on to because the driving records took a long time to get here
 * Was this money already approved by FiCom?
 * Red Scare underestimated the amount of people driving to every tournament
 * Submit a miscellaneous request online explaining this
 * This needs to not happen again next semester
 * All the signers are new semesters
 * It is hard to estimate how many people are going to tournaments beforehand
 * Rolling funding requires people to ask two weeks in advance
 * If they have an event later in the semester, there might not be any money to pay for it
 * Submit the definite and most important requests at the beginning of the semester
 * When did funds start to run low this semester?
 * All student group accounts are going to zero out at the end of Janterm
 * When did FiCom start to run out of money?
 * There is so much money moving in and out of FiCom that it is difficult to tell
 * FiCom has been trying to move money around for the past month or so
 * Initial funding requests can be submitted early in the semester so long as they as accurate as possible
 * They can be updated up to two weeks in advance
 * If FiCom does run out of funds next semester, it might be a month or two before the end of the semester
 * There is a tournament that Red Scare goes to in Georgia every spring, but they need a down payment by the end of December
 * Submit a request for the initial down payment, then submit the rest of the request next semester
 * Red Scare says they can afford to front the money and get reimbursed next semester, but if the receipts are over 30 days old, the business office will not accept them!


 * How does FiCom balance rolling funding with student group needs?


 * This is to be discussed at the retreat


 * Whatever happened with HIP?


 * FiCom has not heard back from them


 * Issue with the way COCA asks for money (they don't ask for money from FiCom until after they are out)
 * Issue with COCA funding different (and not funding presently)


 * FiCom has been receiving fund transfer requests for events


 * When was it decided to borrow money against next semester?


 * When was this going to go to Council?
 * FiCom has gone into the red regularly in past semesters, a symptom of the way money gets moved around
 * After everything discussed at last Monday's meeting (see notes from that meeting), Ananda met with the business office to propose this. They discussed the budgeting system in detail for an hour, and the Business Office felt that the solution was logical and that FiCom had the budgeting situation under control
 * Doesn't this have to be approved by Council?
 * FiCom is not supposed to have to ask for permission to move money around
 * Borrowing money from next semester is not the same as taking from the contingency
 * The money is still from 601
 * But it is 601 money that doesn't exist yet. It affects next semester.
 * This could be the first time that FiCom's budget has exceeded contingency and zeroing out the other accounts
 * The student group accounts have not been zeroed out yet
 * The money is supposed to come back from the unused funds in student accounts at the end of the semester, not out of next semester's funds, but since this can't be 100% counted on, FiCom had to create the backup plan of borrowing against next semester
 * The thought is that the money from the student group accounts that isn't used will be able to pay off this money. FiCom used to go into the red based on this, but this semester the business office has changed its policy, is not letting FiCom go into the red
 * If, for some reason, all the student groups spent all the money that was in their accounts, the understanding in past semesters was that it would be paid off of the next semester. This is nothing new.
 * Was this still discussed with Council?
 * Funds move slower than student groups need them
 * If this was considered, why not bring it to Council before going to the business office?
 * It was not being considered earlier
 * Due to human error (fund transfers that FiCom approved not being written up), FiCom went from $11K to no money within a day
 * Ananda didn't even have time to meet with FiCom before going to the business office
 * This has happened every semester
 * But it is supposedly not what was agreed upon for this semester
 * The agreement of best practices says that Council has the ability to veto decisions made by FiCom, but it is understood that FiCom needs to work quickly
 * FiCom can't wait until Council makes a decision
 * Council needs to approve FiCom taking money from contingency
 * Should FiCom also need Council's approval to go into the red?
 * This is also supposed to be addressed at the retreat
 * How to make sure this doesn't happen again
 * In case this is necessary, how to go about it?
 * Point of the business office being a check, so FiCom had to get permission to go into the red from them
 * Point that the business office checks that paperwork is in order, not how money is spent
 * Ananda had a discussion with the business office about budgeting
 * Thought that there is no reason to punish the entire student body for budgeting issues on FiCom's end
 * Borrowing against next semester is also borrowing against different people's money
 * There is no saying if Council would have voted against this or not, just a sentiment that it should have been brought to council
 * Spending $20K from next semester does not mean that there will be less money next semester, as there was an extra $50k in permanent funding obligations this semester that do not have to be paid next semester

Grupo Capoeira Angola came in


 * Regarding funding for their instructor
 * Their was confusion among the signers about whether the money was there
 * Grupo Capoeira Angola thought that since the contract was submitted last semester, they would have money for this semester, but cleared this up with the CLA
 * They also don't know precisely how many classes they will be holding until they have been held – it is difficult to ask for the exact amount of money up front
 * Submit a request for the intended number of classes in the beginning of the semester; ask two weeks ahead of any extra classes which might be held for funding for them
 * Don't promise money to people before FiCom approves it!
 * Is there a way to request the funding to make sure it is there every semester?
 * No, this needs to be requested every semester at the beginning of the semester
 * What is the status on the money for this semester?
 * FiCom will be able to give a decision tonight

Hampshire Mural Collective came in


 * Regarding reimbursements
 * Hampshire Mural Collective did not have enough room in the van that went on their trip, so they took two extra cars and need extra money for gas
 * Zoho was down when they tried to submit their request
 * Hampshire Mural Collective has $10 in their account
 * This trip was going to be approved as soon as FiCom figured out the money needed for gas, and nobody on FiCom did this
 * How much did this trip come to?
 * $135 admission
 * $93.23 for gas
 * Are there any other receipts that HMC is going to be handing in this semester?
 * There was food bought on the trip
 * FiCom does not fund food for trips
 * The money in their general budget which was initially allocated for advertising will be used to cover part of the trip expenses


 * We are almost out of time!
 * Mural Collective approved for $229
 * Funding transfers need more information written on them
 * Grupo Capoeira Angola approved for $3,600


 * Make sure this gets submitted EARLY next semester!
 * Should FiCom make a requirement that all instructor fees be submitted within the first month?


 * ASL collective screening request


 * Don't need rental fee since they are showing an academic film
 * ASL approved for $70 because they still have $10 in advertising


 * Red Scare


 * Requesting $134 for drivers
 * Please keep closer track of budget
 * Requesting $46 for already spent meeting food
 * Requesting $1,000 fee for two teams for a tournament over spring break
 * They go to this tournament every year
 * This $1,000 is counting towards next semester's budget
 * More funding requests will be submitted for travel
 * Red Scare approved for $1,180


 * How much money does FiCom have left? FiCom had $10,464 before this meeting


 * FiCom just gave out around $5K from that
 * Council just approved about $5K in stipends which comes from 601
 * FiCom is currently at about $100


 * Send COCA an email asking for an explanation of why COCA isn't spending the money FiCom gave them


 * Ask them to email FiCom before they stop spending money


 * Any important news from Council?


 * FiCom stipends have been approved for $700, $400, and $250
 * Council approved a bylaw change saying that the FiCom representative to Council has to be a director

Meeting adjourned 7:10PM

November 30
Agenda:


 * PCards Reportback (where we are, plan from here on out)
 * student will need to keep track of how much money is on their pcard
 * student will need to learn how to process pcard purchases on Datatel, and how to check the balance of the pcard
 * continue to meet with BO to see where the problem areas are, will need to begin with close monitoring
 * students need to be aware that it's a privilege, not an entitlement
 * will test procedure over janterm
 * Chair positions, stipends for this semester
 * Review of present financial situation (hopefully will know COCA's situation as well)

Minutes Present: Ananda, Julia, Luke, Zilong (left early), DeeDee (late), Daniel (late), James (late)


 * COCA didn’t meet since FiCom secured funding for the rest of the semester


 * We want to make sure events are still supported
 * Groups are asking to move money around for events
 * COCA might have to provide more non-monetary support for groups to help get their events running since it is so late in the game


 * EPEC: Booklets of Janterm EPEC courses


 * Larger amount than originally requested
 * Already done
 * Approved: $378


 * Zine Collective: Zines


 * Did this happen?
 * Denied: Did this happen, if so please resubmit with an exact numbers of copies and cost


 * Climbers Coalition: Fund transfer from a canceled trip to a new trip, leftover money to FiCom
 * Who is writing fund transfers today? Luke
 * Approved: $90 reallocation, $200 back into 601


 * Not exact numbers
 * They can re-request if they are short


 * Re-Rad: Ran over meeting food before food funding was cut


 * Submit request before spending money
 * Food funding was not a problem in past semesters
 * Issues with funding after the fact
 * We don’t have hard and fast rules for food funding – should this be made?
 * This issue isn’t just for food. This happens with other types of funding as well.


 * Should FiCom have stricter deadlines for funding?


 * Or somehow more strictly enforce the rules we have?
 * If we say no to this, it affects the random club member who paid for it


 * ReRad: Approved for $143
 * Grupo Capoeira Angola: Payment for an instructor


 * This is submitted incredibly late – after FiCom has already run out of money!
 * We shouldn’t penalize the instructor because the signers submitted the form late


 * Climber’s Coalition has $800 in their general account
 * 28mm: Equipment


 * This has been approved unofficially, we just didn’t have money
 * Approved: $438


 * Comics Collective: DVD


 * Haven’t purchased anything this semester
 * DVD is not available in the valley, they want to make it available in the Library


 * Approved: $25


 * Glass Collective: Oxygen Tank


 * Make sure it goes in inventory
 * Approved: $60


 * Glass Collective: Oxygen Regulator


 * For the oxygen tank
 * This equipment is maintained through Lemelson


 * Approved: $89


 * ASL Collective: Screening


 * Doesn’t have a rental cost
 * Going to be left alone until a talk with CLA


 * Excalibur: Fund transfer, general to meeting food


 * Money was not moving around fast enough during Deathfest


 * Approved: $350 fund transfer within account from general to meeting food


 * Contra Dance Collective: Fund transfer to VIBE for an event


 * Does this give preferential treatment to people with friends in groups that aren’t spending money?
 * If CDC were co-hosting this with VIBE, would that be more acceptable?
 * Is there a lot of crossover between members of these student groups?
 * This should go through the normal COCA funding process
 * People might not agree with the decisions COCA makes
 * Should FiCom then be making decisions differently than COCA? (i.e. approving money that COCA already hasn’t), especially if they are funding out of the same pool of money?
 * FiCom is in charge of managing the SAF and creating the SAF Guidelines by which we operates, and all other bodies that fund things with SAF money fall under the SAF Guidelines as well
 * Does everybody think that COCA is out of money and no longer funding events?
 * There is an event request of roughly the same cost from VIBE in COCA’s pending tab – it should be reviewed tomorrow
 * What if the money is for a different event entirely?
 * What do we do with the money they don’t plan on using?
 * Leave it in their account for now, ask if it can be moved back to 601
 * Denied: VIBE’s event request will get reviewed tomorrow


 * Gin & Tonics: Fund transfer for fee for use of recital hall


 * Event was approved by COCA
 * Approved: $150


 * Zap!: Fund transfer for Lemelson for Design Conspiracy meetings


 * The last request to move food money to Design Conspiracy was approved
 * Approved: $120 – please be aware the meeting food funding has been frozen for the rest of the semester


 * Need to change Zoho forms so that groups can make it clear that they are collaborating
 * Crazy Pitches: Fund transfer for fee for use of recital hall


 * COCA has this in pending. We will leave this until they figure it out.


 * Equipment update


 * Media basement has a bunch of lockers that nobody is using
 * FiCom can use these lockers for equipment storage space! Yay!
 * Review equipment requests at FiCom retreat
 * Contact groups with small equipment and set them up with lockers
 * FiCom would need to buy locks and keys
 * Media basement is in the library, open whenever the library is open
 * Don’t know how many lockers/how much space, FiCom will look at how many would be needed
 * Add to retreat schedule
 * COCD
 * Looking into helping fund the RCC for cabinets for equipment


 * P-Cards


 * Budget Manager would be able to go online and check P-Card balance; easier to keep track of purchasing
 * 10-day rule for paperwork, they then have to go on Datatel and click that they have submitted the paperwork
 * Business office is willing to do P-Card trials during Janterm
 * 3 groups replied
 * HCEMS, Connoisseurs of Cheesy Comestibles, and Excalibur can do training during Janterm
 * FiCom should do it this semester, so that we can create the policy with experience


 * Mida is leaving FiCom at the end of this semester; Julia needs to be changed over to the Budget Manager
 * P-Card contract finalization during FiCom retreat
 * Chair Positions &amp; Stipends for the semester


 * Was tabled until today in hopes that more people would be here, Mida isn’t here
 * Council needs this for tomorrow – will they get to it?
 * FiCom is changing officer positions in the spring (names of positions, amounts, people, etc)

SMIFF came in


 * Regarding their past equipment request
 * A signer purchased the equipment with Marie, never got a formal receipt or proof of purchase
 * He took off for Europe and is currently stuck there
 * He has the necessary information, with no access to the internet
 * Marie threatened to cancel purchase tomorrow, FiCom asked her to wait until Wednesday
 * Lack of communication among the signers
 * SMIFF will talk to Marie tomorrow and will come in to FiCom on Wednesday
 * SMIFF is currently working with a faculty member

Climbers Coalition came in


 * Their trip to Mexico was not accepted due to risk management, as was their trip to California
 * Haven’t received any feedback as to why these trips were not accepted
 * Pam Tinto has not had time or been able to meet with the signers at all
 * Emails have been sent to Pam, she has not responded
 * Please do submit more feedback online so FiCom can address these issues
 * Climber’s Coalition has gone on this trip 4 years running
 * They want to run a trip during spring break, and are worried that waiting on risk assessment might prohibit this for the wrong reasons
 * Any documentation that can be submitted on these issues is helpful!
 * Email or submit to Zoho; Zoho is preferred


 * FiCom members were unaware that there was no feedback on risk assessment
 * P-Cards


 * Question of delineation of roles within the CLA
 * Documentation was sent to FiCom
 * P-Cards are replacing paperwork, not adding it (or subtracting)
 * CLA’s line-by-line for the $8K they receive in the beginning of the semester is due 12/10


 * Chair position stipends


 * (Who is Jose Fuentes? FiCom’s old chair)
 * Leave them as is


 * Meetings over Janterm?


 * COCA cuts meetings in half, but still meets
 * Then FiCom should be meeting, if the other funding committee is
 * Is this possible? Will people be around?


 * Why are the retreats on the days they are?


 * No date worked for everybody


 * FiCom retreat THiS SATURDAY 2-7PM in the FiCom office!
 * Retreat agenda


 * Wait for second retreat: items which needs us to review the end-of-semester numbers
 * For this retreat
 * Profit generation
 * Should there be funding caps?
 * Meeting food – wait until 2nd retreat when we should have numbers
 * Stipends discussion, officer positions discussion
 * Equipment system
 * Need to coordinate with COCD
 * Need to buy locks
 * Independent projects
 * Risk assessment
 * Reimbursement
 * Bylaws &amp; relations to other standing committees
 * What we would like to see from Marie
 * Simplifying the information on Hampedia
 * Signer Seminar for new student groups in the spring
 * Is this only for new student groups or for new signers?
 * This system needs to be reviewed
 * Appropriate to call signers in who may have been signers before, but not within the past year, because there have been substantial changes
 * Should this be for every signer even if they are not new signers?
 * This could help the offices that student groups have to work with
 * The new Student Group Recognition Form needs to be finalized so student groups can fill it out for the spring
 * Recognized groups this semester don’t have to fill out a Group Recognition Form for the spring
 * Small things do change, everybody should show up
 * Things are going to change this spring


 * Profit Generation


 * How to make this accountable?
 * Think about this for the retreat


 * Circus Folk Unite


 * Going to buy only one Zorb
 * Frees $470 to go back to 601


 * Email from QCA


 * Invited to come in to Wednesday’s meeting


 * Is the retreat open to anybody?


 * Last time, anybody could attend, but non-members had to wait until asked in order to speak


 * Schedule for the retreat to be drafted by Wednesday


 * For one retreat, FiCom is considering leaving an hour for student groups to come talk to us
 * Student groups do have 4 hours/week to come talk to us and they don’t
 * This is at a different time
 * Every FiCom meeting is open, why shouldn’t the retreat be?


 * Question of having a representative for identity-based groups to FiCom meetings


 * FiCom is open to anybody that wants to join
 * Anything that comes up is going to affect different groups differently
 * Many groups are affected in a way that FiCom might not have insight to
 * This is true with every group on campus
 * Isn’t this what the liaisons are supposed to be for?
 * What about an official FiCom Liaison to the student groups? One person for all the groups to contact and facilitate communication between student groups and FiCom


 * Next week we might be able to do 1-hr meetings
 * COCD


 * Were emailed asking to start posting meetings minutes to Hampedia
 * They don’t have any money to give to FiCom
 * Going to be asked from FiCom in Council tomorrow for COCD to post their meeting minutes within a week of their meeting
 * Also talk of setting them up with a Zoho form
 * FiCom wants to propose a bylaws change to Community Council for a new system, to move COCD to the COCA way of funding


 * Set up a meeting with COCA to discuss how they are funding and how we can work better with them


 * We were supposed to meet with COCA regularly, but the changes in FiCom, among other things, made this difficult


 * Should FiCom shut down funding at the end of the semester or meet during Janterm?


 * To be discussed at the retreat

Meeting adjourned: 6:45PM

November 23
Minutes

Present: Ananada, Julia, Daniel, Jackie, Madeleine, Zilong (late), James (late)

Excused: Mida, Luke

Sports Co-op Came In re: their submission to Formsite after we moved to Zoho


 * Everything they submitted for has already happened
 * Things have been paid for, except a few referees who haven’t been paid yet
 * Payments have been made on the credit card with Marie or out of Troy’s (the director of OPRA’s) pocket
 * Troy usually submits this every year, and didn’t know about the new system
 * Need to talk to Marie, there should be a paper trail for every payment
 * FiCom should be able to pay this
 * FiCom is currently in the red
 * Referees are not part of Hampshire, need to be a priority
 * FiCom needs a semesterly request, not yearly
 * Reminder: Signers should be submitting requests for student groups and student-run activities


 * FiCom does not have quorom


 * There are FiCom members that cannot make the first hour on Mondays


 * FiCom has no money


 * We can move funds around to cover time-sensitive requests
 * We need to figure out what to do about COCA’s requests for after Thanksgiving break
 * FiCom has outstanding requests as well
 * There is some money coming back in
 * Daniel is writing fund transfers out of student accounts into 601
 * The Big Skunk Ape Project (acct # 584) – transfer $130 to 601
 * New Leaf (682): $170 in meeting food
 * Excalibur (624): $2,700 from general
 * FiCom still does not have enough money


 * Ananda looked into the issue with account 720 ($21,040)


 * The account got zeroed out at the beginning of the year, sent to Social Advocacy Centers for the wheelchair ramp
 * This had been used as a rollover account
 * ~90% of the income seems to have been SAF money
 * The expenses were SAF-related student activities
 * We need to review this account to see if it is all SAF money or not
 * This couldn’t happen today because Dawn is out sick
 * There are questions as to how and why this account was created and whose money it is


 * Ananda met with Wendy O’Rourke at the business office


 * Ananda asked to be able to go $20K into the red this semester
 * There is usually $40-50K left over at the end of the semester, but this is too risky to depend on
 * The spring is going to get another infusion of SAF money, FiCom can use this at first to pay off the debt left over from the end of this semester
 * There is an unprecedented number of student groups and funding requests this semester
 * The new system makes it easier to get funding
 * The permanent funding is much greater in the fall than in the spring
 * This is listed on the minutes from an earlier meeting
 * There is $50K more given in the fall than the spring, since Marie’s salary and PVTA are not funded semesterly
 * Wendy is supportive of FiCom
 * The money exists, it is just not accessible
 * Pam Tinto is in charge of making these kinds of decisions
 * Wendy is going to meet with Pam tomorrow morning and finalize a decision, in order to let COCA know
 * FiCom should draft a document tonight on these issues, what to do in the spring if this happens again, and a statement that FiCom WILL NOT spend money it does not have

Statement concerning Funding for the Rest of the Semester

Due to the unprecedented number of student groups this semester, paired with the unprecedented number of funding requests, FiCom has officially run out of money for the semester. This is the first time FiCom has ever run out of money.

However, knowing that we have $48,678 in permanent funding obligations in the fall that do not occur in the spring (all other permanent funding obligations are split in half between the fall and spring), we have significantly lower liquidity in the fall. Thus, we are requesting to go $20,000 in the red this semester, knowing that doing so will still only mean that we will be spending less than half of our budget for the entire year.

In the spring, we intend to put several new procedures into place to ensure that this does not occur again, including improved accounting, reassessing the amount of permanent funding, and the creation of an accountable profit-generating system for student groups.

FiCom will not spend money that does not exist, nor money that has already been allocated to another student group.

Signed,

FiCom


 * Questions


 * How often does COCA fund events?
 * COCA meets twice a week
 * COCA is only meeting Tuesday this week due to Thanksgiving break
 * There needs to be approval from Pam Tinto in order to fund these events
 * How much does FiCom need to pay back in the spring already?
 * FiCom needs to refill contingency at $50K, but it can be taken back out
 * The money collected for the SAF is no longer enough to support all the student activities on campus
 * What can we do about this?
 * FiCom needs to create methods for profit generation, so student groups can accountably fundraise
 * Matching system?
 * We could also stop funding food
 * There are groups centered around food
 * Food improves quality of activities
 * Meeting food is not a priority, but should it really be cut out altogether?
 * This is another discussion altogether
 * Meeting food funding has been cut a lot since last semester
 * FiCom gave over $16K in the beginning of the semester for meeting food
 * FiCom needs to do a number analysis of how money is being spent
 * This should then be kept running for the entirety of the semester


 * Do we want to act as if we are going to get the money? What will we say to COCA?


 * Should we act as if this has already been approved so that we can give COCA the money?
 * We can write up a fund transfer that is ONLY if the money has been approved, so we won’t have to call an emergency FiCom meeting
 * Let’s just do that. If the extra $20K is approved by Pam, we will transfer COCA $5K immediately.


 * There are 9 events requested for the week after Thanksgiving
 * This $20K should be enough to cover everything COCA and FiCom have received requests for now and might get through Janterm
 * If we don’t get enough money back from student group accounts, we will pay back that money with next semester’s SAF funds
 * FiCom didn’t know that the $50K was going to be taken out this semester, not split in half between semesters
 * Additional Food Funding excluding food-related groups has been around $8K


 * This is how to get people to go to events
 * If this is how to get people to go to meetings, why have the meeting?
 * Some clubs meet during times when SAGA is open


 * Draft of FiCom document read
 * Is there going to be a system for taking back money if it isn’t used in a timely fashion?


 * FiCom operates in an entirely different way than most of the budgeting operations on campus
 * As far as the business office is concerned, the money is all in 601
 * We could do the accounting on Zoho, and have Marie in charge of the accounting instead of having it go through the business office (presently there are four steps: FiCom approves money and writes up fund transfer, Pam reviews transfer and signs it, Marie actually checks transfer against our information and processes it, Grace at the BO enters the numbers on Datatel)
 * Why is it done the present way?
 * CLA is supposed to be a check
 * If this is all on Zoho, everything is transparent and visible, eliminating bureaucracy and keeping accountability
 * This would also help minimize human error
 * 601 as a whole is not in the red. It has $90,000. FiCom itself, however, is out of money.


 * COCA is discussing raiding student group accounts, but has not acted on this yet


 * The point of COCA was to help student groups plan events, not to have them deal with the numbers
 * Should COCA submit a COCA-approved funding request to Zoho so FiCom can approve it?
 * This way the money wouldn’t have to move to COCA’s account and then have it come back
 * This does give FiCom more power - but it's the same power it used to have
 * COCA would still be approving funding, just not actually transferring it to the accounts
 * FiCom would not be reviewing these funding requests – this would just mean that funding would be coming out of the same account instead of COCA having to request money every couple weeks
 * COCA would still be approving the events and anything to come to FiCom would not have to be approved by FiCom because it would be a COCA-approved request


 * What’s SafeCom?


 * They work with Public Safety
 * They are a subcommittee of Council
 * They only have food money


 * COCD?


 * There is no oversight
 * Should have the same system as COCA, whatever that may be


 * Wills isn’t able to come to the general meetings for the rest of the semester due to Division III, but will come to the retreats
 * Back to the statement concerning funding for the rest of the semester
 * Do student groups spend more money in the spring or fall?


 * The fall semester is longer
 * Inactive groups from the fall might become active during the spring
 * The last month or so of school, everything “stops”


 * Quorum does not need to be overruled, since there are three voting members and the Director
 * Can we approve and write up the funding transfer to go to COCA if Pam approves the money?
 * Was FiCom ever told that we were going to be asking for an additional $20K?


 * Ananda didn’t have time since she found out today
 * This should still be run by the committee before asked for
 * FiCom isn’t allowed to do anything ahead of time
 * This was the only option right now
 * Does anybody not agree that we should get the $20K?
 * This goes up for discussion
 * Has the Halloween money been transferred in?
 * We haven’t gotten numbers yet
 * There are also items that have been stolen which are going to come from the Halloween account
 * Ananda explains how $20K was settled upon
 * FiCom is at -$5K after everything gets processed
 * COCA has about $10K in requests right now


 * If we don’t get the $20K, can the Sports Co-op fund their referees?


 * If we approve them right away


 * Should we just get enough money to pay off everything we need to and let COCA fund the requests they have, and then freeze funding?


 * This would still be $15K
 * There is no way now that FiCom will not go in the red
 * We just found out about Sports Co-op


 * This is the first time this kind of situation has happened in FiCom’s history
 * What is FiCom going to do differently in the spring?


 * Improved accounting (working better with Marie, having the financial director work more closely with the numbers)
 * Put in place an accountable profit-generating system for student groups


 * Tentative fund transfer is written


 * Agenda for next meeting
 * Chair position stipends for the semester


 * Director: $700
 * Financial Director: $400
 * Office Manager: $250
 * Do we want to change the stipends for the semester?
 * We get to forward our decisions to Community Council
 * This was supposed to be decided in Council 3 weeks ago
 * Who should that money go to, since positions were switched?
 * Discussion tabled until Monday when there is more of FiCom present, and since Council is not meeting tomorrow
 * Where do stipends come from? From the SAF?


 * Ananda emailed Social Advocacy Center and CLA about end-of-semeter reportback, expected by 12/10
 * Ananda emailed Linda Mollison to ask about how to put in place a system to see how the $36,000 that was given to ResLife was spent


 * Should ResLife be throwing events at all? Shouldn’t that be COCA?
 * Reminder: two years ago, COCA didn’t exist
 * Now they do. How should we change things?


 * Reportback from Pam


 * Complete refusal to process funding transfers from 601 when FiCom is in the red, this caused issues when we were waiting for the Halloween ticket money


 * What happens if Pam doesn't give us the $20K tomorrow?


 * Then everything shuts down and there are no student group meetings or events for the rest of the semester, including JanTerm


 * COCD


 * Tried to purchase permanent equipment for the farm center
 * This is not under SAF guidelines


 * Sibie’s


 * Sibie’s gives non-itemized receipts
 * If asked, they handwrite what is bought
 * The business office agreed that the only receipt needed for Sibie’s is the receipt and the paper from the box.
 * This is only for Sibie’s!


 * Why does COCD exist?


 * When Community Council was created, there was no Student Life Office
 * COCD is in charge of improving the campus
 * They get $20K each semester


 * Requesting $2K from Community Council


 * Community Council is not meeting tomorrow. This is tabled until Monday.


 * Marie submitted a complaint to FiCom about SMIFF


 * They are refusing to bring in information about the database and aren’t answering emails
 * Shall we send an official email from FiCom giving them a deadline to send in paperwork or actions are going to be taken?
 * Yes. They need to get their paperwork in to Marie by Wednesday of next week (Dec 2nd), and must come to FiCom’s meeting on Monday November 30th (5-7pm) or they are in danger of losing signer privileges and being charged $600.


 * Reportback from Marie re: Excalibur and hotels for Arisia
 * If the $20K is approved, FiCom will give COCA the $5K they asked for, and then will have them submit a request for more money after their Tuesday meeting. FiCom isn’t meeting before there would be another request submitted, so wouldn’t be able to spend any money that COCA might need.
 * The referee fees are the most important and timely part of the Sports Co-op fund transfer
 * Queertillion thought they didn’t have any money – there was an issue with Zoho. In the future, we should delete duplicate requests, not deny them.
 * Dates for the FiCom retreat


 * Tentative dates
 * Sat, Dec 5th 2-7PM (same time for all)
 * Sat, Dec 12th
 * Sat, Jan 23rd
 * Sun, Jan 24th
 * For every single day, there is at least one person that can’t make it


 * Queertillion – there was a suggested donation


 * Is this okay?
 * COCA decided that it is okay to have suggested donations, so long as it is not and does not feel required
 * This needs to be addressed as to how it can happen properly in the future


 * Funding requests are frozen for the meeting
 * Screening request


 * Need to meet with Carolyn to find out how much it will cost to screen a movie
 * Denying request to ask that they resubmit


 * Emails tonight


 * To Pam &amp; Wendy
 * All-signer email
 * Pam &amp; Wendy
 * Read through
 * Reassessing amount of permanent funding is an issue for the retreat
 * The SAF is insufficient. There is not enough momey.
 * FiCom started off this semester without the full contingency amount
 * FiCom already has to pay back contingency
 * Contingency is no longer a cycle where we have the same amount of money each semester.
 * Should FiCom’s mistake affect the entire campus?
 * How would we have done this any better?
 * Put a limit on how much student groups can get?
 * FiCom should not make value judgements
 * Was the idea to fund everything that is within guidelines until there is no more money, and then stop?
 * Signer seminar gives the impression that we want all the groups to spend all their money
 * Should we give them an idea about the finite amount of money that exists?
 * FiCom needs liquidity
 * Should there be a limit on how much FiCom can allocate in a week?
 * This makes for very arbitrary decisions
 * Have caps for student groups based on how many people go to the meetings/events
 * Proportion of students served vs. money
 * Should there be partial funding again for trips?
 * If there are caps on funding, student groups will police themselves more
 * The email to Pam &amp; Wendy is approved
 * All-signer email draft read
 * Let’s put off sending this email until we hear from Pam about the $20K
 * Zoho feedback form reviewed, question added about the new system
 * Other version of email drafted in case Pam turns down FiCom’s $20K request
 * Emails approved


 * Some problems which lead up to FiCom being in the red included


 * Human error
 * Sports Co-op, Hampfest, and JSU transfers were never written up and sent to Marie, even though they were approved (which added up to about $11K)

Meeting adjourned 7:05PM

ALL-SIGNER EMAIL (officially approved during this meeting):

Dearest Signers,

First off, since FiCom is running out of funds for the semester, FiCom will not be giving out any more food funding for the fall semester (this includes JanTerm). As always, if you have any questions or problems, please reply to this email.

However, we WILL continue funding all other student activities, including events, as long as we still have funds to do so. We are presently working on moving money that will not being used back to FiCom, so that we can continue to fund student activities. If you have any funds in your account that you do not intend to spend this semester, please let us know!

A few other quick reminders:

-change to SIBIE'S policy: the Business Office will now accept the Sibie's receipt and the piece of paper you tear off the pizza box! No need to get itemized receipts for Sibie's!

-In order for your paperwork to be processed, the Business Office says that you MUST have itemized receipts (the one exception is Sibie's). Some businesses, like Delivery Express, do not automatically give you itemized receipts. Don't forget to ask for an itemized receipt when you make an order!

-We want your input! Please take a moment to submit your comments, ideas, and complaints: http://creator.zoho.com/ficom.hampshire/funding-request/#Form:Comments_and_Complaints

-Next semester, we will be putting into place a system for allowing any student group to request a PCard! This means you will be able to use a debit card for purchases, and not have to front your own money!

-Within two weeks, you will be receiving a schedule of due dates for the Spring, including those for initial funding and group recognition.

-The Business Office only pays for tips up to 10%. If you tip more than 10%, you will NOT be refunded for the extra amount. This is not our policy, so unfortunately we cannot change this.

You'll be hearing from us again soon!

Love,

FiCom

Agenda:


 * Chair positions, stipends for this semester
 * Ananda has emailed Social Advocacy Centers, CLA re end of semester reportback of how SAF money was spent (due by Dec 10). In addition, she has contacted Linda Mollison, Housing Director, to set up a meeting to discuss how we can put in place a similar system for the $36,000 given to Residential Life Programs, and possibly set up a different system (more similar to how funds are allocated for student groups?)
 * Reportback from Pam:
 * Utter refusal to process funding transfers when 601 is in the red. Ananda had to call the BO and explain Halloween ticket situation in order for them to "put" the money into 601 so that we would not appear to be in the red, so that the last two weeks of funding transfers will finally go through
 * PCard meeting (FiCom, CLA, Marie, BO) to decide on policies on Monday, 11am. PCards will be delayed until Spring (possibly JanTerm?), due to lack of communication from BO concerning process
 * Discussed necessity for system similar to that of COCA for COCD. Also noted that COCD tried to purchase a cart/piece of permanent equipment for the Farm Center (absolutely not under SAF Guidelines)
 * Sibie's is hopefully going to begin automatically giving itemized receipts for Hampshire purchases. BO is constantly changing its policies on what it deems accetable paperwork
 * Request to Council for 2k, emphasis on timeliness
 * SMIFF will not bring me any paperwork for their database bought via the pcard $598.00 - they will not answer any emails - I have absolutely nothing showing this purchase except for the charge
 * From Marie: note to FiCom meeting minutes regarding Excalibur and the hotel reservations. The hotel reservations are not being held up by an issue with an RFP???? The hotel reservations were held up due to not proper documentation turned in for past two pcard purchases for Deathfest. Then they were held up due to pcard purchase form wasn't approved due to amounts listed on form were much higher than approved amount by FiCom for this trip. This pcard purchase for the hotel reservations will be made Monday, Nov. 23rd
 * Queertillion event
 * Sports Co-Op submitted a funding request on Formsite, somehow it never got processed through FiCom:

MEN’S BASKETBALL: $ 2,005 REF. FEES: $ 950.00 5 HOME GAMES w/ 2 referees @ $ 95 apiece HOTEL : Basketball Tournament 8 rooms @$ 105 per night for 1 night= $ 840.00 Basketballs : 5 @ $ 42.95 ea= $ 214.75 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: $ 1,58 REF. FEE: $ 950.00 5 HOME GAMES w/ 2 referees @ $ 95 apiece HOTEL: Basketball Tournament 6 rooms @$105 per night for 1 night= $ 630.00 MEN’S SOCCER : $ 1850.00 10 Soccer balls@$24.00ea. =$240.00 REF FEES : 3 HOME GAMES w/ 2 refs ea. @ $95 apiece= $ 570.00 ENTRY FEE INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE = $ 900.00 WOMEN’S SOCCER: $ 1850.00 REF FEES : 5 HOME GAMES w/2 refs ea. @ $ 95 apiece = $950.00 ENTRY FEE INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE = $ 900.00 TOTAL REQUEST: $ 7285.00


 * Tentative Dates for Retreats/Initial Funding (based on :
 * Saturday, December 5th, 2-7pm
 * Saturday, December 12th, 2-7pm
 * Saturday, January 23rd, 2-7pm
 * Sunday, January 24th, 2-7pm

November 18
Minutes FiCom meeting 11/18/09 Present: Ananda, Luke (left early), Daniel, Julia, Mida, DeeDee, Zilong (late), James (late), Madeleine (late), Jackie (late) Zine Collective came in


 * Interested in covering costs for printing for SJP’s BDS conference this weekend
 * Want to know how much is in their account
 * Flyers and packets were approved by FiCom last meeting
 * There are zines that members from SJP have made that zine collective wants to help with
 * How many copies?
 * Full color (about 70) and b&amp;w (also about 70)
 * Comes to about $200


 * FiCom cannot currently transfer money because 601 is in the red


 * This would mean that if we could approve funding, it would take a couple of weeks. The conference is for this weekend.
 * Zine Collective thinks they have the funds to cover this, which were not used to print previous zines
 * Zine Collective has $0 in their account
 * FiCom would be able to review the request today, but it was going to be requested to not review requests today


 * FiCom cannot promise any money
 * FiCom cannot give out money until the student groups that have not used money give the money back to 601
 * The business office does not want student groups to go into the red
 * There is $98,000 sitting in student group accounts right now.
 * If student groups make a purchase not approved by FiCom, there are serious repercussions for the student group (including not getting reimbursed)
 * Zine Collective can find out exact cost of zines tonight


 * Is there any other way to cover the money? Digital copies? (This goes against the idea of zines…)


 * FiCom will not approve a purchase because it “might” be able to be funded
 * Can we ask Council for money tonight?
 * Zine Collective will submit the funding request tonight
 * Will the $98,000 come back?


 * Yes, after the end of the semester
 * This could be after the possible reimbursement period
 * This is not something that should be counted on to get funding for groups
 * Any other ways?
 * Suggested donations?
 * FiCom is asked: what if Zine Collective signers paid and then asked for reimbursement?
 * FiCom still doesn’t have money to give out, and probably won’t until next semester


 * FiCom is encountering resistance to move the money back to 601 for the end of the semester
 * Discussion of contacting groups about unused funds later this meeting
 * COCD says they will be spending all of their money


 * They have $13,000
 * They will receive an email asking them to post meeting minutes on Hampedia
 * We can’t find what they are going to spend the money on


 * Community Council has $3,600


 * Last week $150 was approved for Big Block of Cheese Night
 * Last week $50 a week was approved for “Council Cares”
 * This means $3,200 is left in their budget
 * Council is thinking of putting some of that money towards advertising and “giveaways and goodies”


 * If FiCom is out of money, this means COCA also cannot fund events
 * The $98,000 is mostly in small chunks in student group accounts
 * The semester is almost over, a small push for funding would help a lot
 * Can Community Council transfer FiCom $2,000?
 * Worry about EPEC as well because not all their requests have come in yet
 * COCA is spending much more money on events than they used to
 * HCEMS was contacted to see if they could make tonight’s FiCom meeting
 * On FiCom’s agenda…


 * Has every FiCom member filled out the doodle poll? No! Do this!
 * Mixed Nuts
 * Trying to get the Tavern back as student space
 * Writing a request for approval for a modification to their account
 * Want to freeze $1K of account for use for potential debts
 * If this isn’t possible, they want to open a second account
 * Why would they need this?
 * Liquidity
 * When leadership changes, this will still be in place
 * To help them work better as a body
 * What would be the process of tapping into this if need be?
 * They are going to write the terms of use
 * It is their money to spend, they can set their own terms of use
 * FiCom should review and be aware of the terms of use
 * Ask them to write this up on their Hampedia page
 * Make sure there is very clear documentation in the future


 * Who is filling out funding transfers?


 * Somebody needs to write a fund transfer for $660 out of sister’s account into 601


 * Reviewing Zoho for requests that need more info
 * EPEC: Printing cost for the booklet for janterm courses
 * If the requests are written properly, they are going to be left alone
 * HCEMS: Posters


 * Can this wait until next semester?
 * Denied: please submit a request for equipment next semester. FiCom cannot fund this right now due to our current financial situation


 * No trip requests
 * 28mm: Miniatures


 * Request has been itemized, combined, and price reduced, as requested
 * As long as we get the funding, we should be able to approve this


 * No publications requests
 * No screening requests
 * No additional food funding requests
 * COCA: Requesting money to fund events


 * Where is the $5K coming from? It is just more money to continue operations
 * This is how COCA has been getting money all semester
 * FiCom has given COCA about $30K this semester
 * For another month, $5K makes sense
 * FiCom does not have $5K
 * We can split with COCA whatever money we do get from the student groups
 * This request is left for Monday


 * FiCom is already in the red – when do we stop funding?


 * Ticket money has not come in yet
 * Last time, we had around $2K projected before funding
 * Fund transfers from last 3 meetings have not been processed
 * The money will come in, but the fund transfers are not being processed yet


 * Glass Collective: Reimburse Lemelson for an oxygen tank


 * They never requested to have an oxygen tank


 * FiCom needs to clarify the fund transfer form


 * The form is to transfer money that was ALREADY APPROVED to another account
 * Students cannot buy something and then tell FiCom that they need the money


 * Glass collective has extra food money – they could transfer that to their general budget to help cover costs


 * Pending: no initial request for an oxygen tank, can you use food money?


 * Red Scare: Transfer money from general to food budget


 * This is money they have in their account, that COCA has approved
 * Should COCA do this? It is a fund transfer, not an event
 * COCA has not raided student group accounts yet
 * Make sure to alert COCA to this decision


 * FiCom will send out the email this week to alert everybody that we will no longer be funding meeting food this semester (this includes Janterm)

Red Scare


 * Approved: $50


 * COCA: Fund transfer from general to food
 * Approved: $87
 * Zine Collective sent an email. They are requested to put the funding request on Zoho
 * FiCom needs more funding transfer forms (which were then emailed)
 * Everybody pull up their page of their student groups and send emails asking if they can give back any money


 * Ananda types up a draft of the email
 * The total is $90K this week tied up in student group accounts, not $98K
 * Also check to see if your group has not spent any money at all
 * Also put in a note to submit POs and RFPs in a timely manner
 * Supposedly it takes under a week for paperwork to be processed


 * Zine Collective’s request is on Zoho
 * Back to emails


 * Should we pull the $130 from the groups that don’t have an updated Hampedia?
 * Should we strip the money from the frozen accounts? (i.e. ones that don’t have an updated Hampedia page and haven’t been active all semester)
 * Should we include a clause that we will take the money out if they don’t reply within a certain time period?
 * As of now, we are only going to take back money if they reply
 * Ask people to please reply, don’t say “we will take your money if you don’t”


 * Did we post the receipts? Tomorrow.
 * Draft of email read


 * Fear of people spending money frantically that might not otherwise spend it


 * FiCom has money in our account for the HCEMS scholarships (we are short)
 * Also send a different email to groups that haven’t spent their initial funds yet


 * Will pull money from inactive groups if they don’t respond


 * These accounts are set up by Hampshire for internal transfers, they are all connected to one literal bank account
 * There will be an all-signer email by the end of the week
 * Equestrian Team came in


 * The money they are requesting was originally included in their request, but not approved by FiCom
 * They never get meeting food
 * They are planning on having meeting food
 * FiCom has no money
 * FiCom skipped over this, it is our error
 * Approved: $1,000
 * Equestrian team is saving their food money to do an end-of-semester team dinner, since they now have more people

Equestrian team is shown how to check their budget on Hampedia (through the Weekly Financial Report)


 * It is hard to find who is FiCom liaison to which groups in any comprehensive manner
 * The CLA is not allowing Excalibur to purchase hotel rooms for Arisia because of an issue with their RFPs. The main hotel is sold out, and there is question as to whether overflow hotels are sold out
 * Should we transfer whatever we get back to 601 or directly to other student groups?


 * Ananda is meeting with Pam tomorrow.


 * FiCom – please make sure to send out the emails to your student groups tonight, so they will have a week’s notice


 * Concern that these are coming from our personal email and are signed from FiCom
 * We can also sign into the FiCom email address and send them from there.


 * Discussion of what BCC means
 * CAs: request for a stipend for a Hampshire student
 * Denied: the SAF cannot be used to pay Hampshire students
 * Pulled money from Quiz Bowl
 * Pulling the $120 of food money from the SS Student group
 * The list of permanent funding that FiCom gave out is on Hampedia in the meeting minutes

Meeting adjourned 6:50PM.

November 16
Agenda:


 * Sharing itemized receipt information from COCA misuse of funds
 * Scheduling times for initial funding/final retreat
 * officer stipends
 * Zine Collective stapler
 * Mixed Nuts
 * SISTERS- pull $660. Can we pull out UMOJA's half too?
 * Big Block of Cheese night
 * 601 presently: -4,659.78 + approx 10,400 in Halloween ticket sales - 2930 (last M+W) = still in the red
 * COCD at 6pm

Minutes FiCom meeting 11/16/09 5:00PM Present: Ananada, Luke, Mida, Julia, Daniel, Jackie (left early), Madeleine, DeeDee, Zilong(left early), Shmulik, James (left early) Concerned Student came in


 * Has been to Council &amp; COCA meeetings
 * Wants to see COCA receipts
 * Why now?
 * This issue is still going on
 * It is still relevant to the student body
 * What can FiCom do to help?
 * Wants specifics
 * Individual purchases were not made public
 * They were submitted to the CRB, not to Hampedia
 * Receipts could be misinterpreted
 * Asking to have the list of purchases so that he may look at them outside of a meeting, just for his own records
 * Does FiCom have these receipts in their possession? Yes, we have photocopies of them. The decision in question is whether to release them.
 * To what capacity should they be released? To individuals, or to the community at large?
 * Why would they not be released on Hampedia?


 * Personal reason – doesn’t want this to overshadow the work Community Council is doing this year; this issue has been dealt with in a way that seems reasonable, doesn’t want this blown out of proportion


 * Student says he is not trying to conduct an investigation, only wants to see receipts
 * It is noted that FiCom is not made of elected members; any student who wishes to be a member may if they attend 3 consecutive meetings
 * Wants to see how the funds were misused
 * Punishments reviewed
 * Are the receipts public record?
 * The information on the receipts all says that the misused SAF funds were spent in the bookstore
 * Community Council can overturn any cecision that FiCom makes
 * Community Council has asked for the itemized receipts
 * Will be discussed this meeting

28mm came in


 * To talk about funding requests
 * Would this equipment be used before the end of the semester? Yes
 * Can the requests be split between semesters? Yes
 * A lot of the equipment is currently a signer’s personal equipment that is being used
 * Want equipment for February for a convention
 * Reminder: FiCom does not meet during Janterm
 * Submit a request for how much is needed this semester; combine different items into an itemized request (spray paint, glue, figures, etc)
 * Will hear back by Wednesday

SJP came in


 * There are a few requests
 * Money for packets, hasn’t been reviewed yet (it is still within a week)
 * Will be reviewed tonight
 * Wanted to make sure that it gets looked at
 * Also a request for a bus for refunding for gas


 * Reminder: it can take up to a week for requests to go through


 * Will know by later tonight


 * Reminder: FiCom is in the red


 * Is there any way that the packets can be in black and white? Yes
 * The packets are for a conference this weekend
 * Walkie talkies? COCA should be able to lend theirs out


 * Comment: It would be good to see all of the types of funding requests for each group all at once (i.e. one group has x amount of requests in x places)


 * We are limited by the zoho software. do we know of software that does this? Google apps?
 * Zoho is also nice because it can send automatic emails after a decision is made (we are still working on that)


 * Zilong requests to join FiCom


 * Daniel motions to make Zilong a member, Luke seconds. No blocks.


 * Opening up voting member slots? Is on the list to be discussed; going to have to wait until the retreat; we have a lot of funding requests today.
 * Reminder to FiCom members: keep track of how much money your student groups have spent


 * Do we add in events? Sure
 * This information is on the hampedia page
 * Zilong takes over Dillon’s groups


 * Daniel and Jackie worked out financial director position


 * Jackie will take over next semester
 * Duties of officers are in the bylaws


 * Voting slot is open. Jackie is next in line – she can take Dillon’s slot.


 * Luke motions to make Jackie a voting member. Mida seconds. No blocks.


 * Is Julia officially the office manager? She is not a voting member? Mida does not think she is continuing FiCom next semester.
 * There are a limited number of voting slots because of the bylaws. FiCom is considering opening up the voting slots.


 * Officers automatically get voting slots.


 * Luke motions to make Julia the office manager. Daniel seconds. No blocks.
 * Regarding the request for list of receipts


 * Have student come in and look at the receipts
 * Why not put them on Hampedia?
 * People will get excited about them even if they are not that exciting
 * If one person sees them and brings their own interpretation to the campus, things could get out of hand.
 * Sentiment – rather be too transparent than not transparent enough
 * There was no debate about whether the receipts should be made public
 * This issue is starting to cool down, we shouldn’t raise this again
 * Were copies ever made of the receipts? Yes
 * Would the receipts or the itemized list be better to give out? The itemization; it is a lot clearer

[Review of Pcards. They get a declining account balance on them specifically for student groups. No student group has ever had Pcards. They require a form with two signer signatures to use.]


 * FiCom is sending spreadsheet of purchases to Community Council and having people who want to see it come in and look at it.
 * Why is this open to misinterpretation?
 * Not all of the precedent was set by last year’s officers
 * Raw data does not show reason behind them
 * Should we ask people involved to submit a statement with the spreadsheet?
 * This has become a very emotionally charged issue
 * Making people come in to see these receipts will create more work for FiCom
 * “Edit war” on Sam Light’s profile on Hampedia over this last week
 * Is it worth releasing this information? Just going to blow things out of proportion
 * Will this info clear up some of the issue?
 * If we ask people to come in to the meetings, some people might not be able to come in
 * Are we anywhere near a consensus? Doesn’t look like it
 * If somebody makes purchases legally with the SAF, is that public? Yes. They why if it is not legitimate is it not public?
 * FiCom doesn’t scan and put in every RFP, etc, etc
 * Responsibility would then be shifted to Hampedia, which doesn’t have anything to do with it
 * How does Hampedia become responsible? This is a separate issue
 * Let people come in to FiCom to see them.
 * Let people email and set up a time if they can’t make the 5-7 M/W time.
 * Why does there need to be itemization?
 * If we hand out an electronic copy, it will end up on Hampedia
 * Only one person has asked for the receipts?
 * What is the worst thing that can happen if we put them on Hampedia?

COCA Financial Director Peter Modest came in


 * POs for a student group (Arabic Students) were mistakenly put through COCA’s meeting food (by Marie); submit a fund transfer on Zoho
 * Hampshire Halloween budget? Don’t know if all has cleared yet, cochairs should have that info. Need this to replenish 601.
 * COCA has $631.
 * COCA froze funding process on Thursday.
 * FiCom has -$4,700ish
 * Hopefully COCA will not have to shut down


 * Regarding receipts


 * On Hampedia or have people come in?
 * Worry about giving people no more than 2 hours to look at it
 * What if they want a copy?
 * People are not satisfied with the story at this point
 * It is already stated that people can come in to the meeting.
 * The concern of FiCom should be how we operate
 * Why don’t we just give this student a copy?
 * What if we put this up on Hampedia with a statement that it is easily misinterpreted and directing questions to FiCom?
 * The report currently on Hampedia brings up more questions than it answers

Climax came in


 * Not sure whether they’re looking at 8 or 12 pages for next week issue
 * Do they have money left over from past issues where the issue was not as large as they expected?
 * Where would they find that?
 * Ficom weekly report
 * Climax does have a buffer.
 * Check with Marie. She will know where all your money has gone exactly.
 * Climax has been approved to make a purchase for the next issue because they already have money in their account.


 * We still have a lot of funding requests.
 * Ananda is going to COCD to talk about money which hasn’t been used yet
 * COCD tried to buy a vehicle – can this wait?
 * COCD needs a checks and balances system/transparency
 * Can we make a decision about the receipts before the end of the meeting?
 * We need to get through the requests from Wednesday today. Tabling the receipts until after the requests.


 * COCA has asked if we had more to say, and we said that we had already published our report
 * That was about the harassment on campus. These are two different issues.


 * Ananda motions to post on Hampedia with the clarifying statement. DeeDee seconds. Daniel blocks. 3 in favor. 1 against. Motion passes.
 * Do we have the money to do funding transfers?


 * Ticket sales from Halloween have not gone through yet.
 * FiCom is at about 2k after ticket sales go in, and last week’s transfers go out.
 * Sisters isn’t able to go on their trip, so they are giving about $600 back. This was all transferred to the Sisters account.
 * This is just for FiCom.


 * Ananda heads to COCD.
 * DeeDee leaves and gives her proxy vote to Mida
 * We no longer have quorum.


 * We can do consensus. Luke is writing fund transfers


 * SJP: Transportation for their event
 * approved $100


 * Zoho only shows that requests are approved, does not move funds
 * Should all these SJP requests be put through COCA? It is too late
 * Tennis Team: tennis balls, $4.95 extra


 * Do they have this in their account?
 * They have $80 in their account. Shouldn’t need additional funding to cover the tennis balls purchase.


 * Circus Folk Unite: DVDs to record performances for performers


 * DVDs get cheaper in bulk
 * If they have money in their account, they might have purchases which have not gone through yet.
 * They currently have $3K in their account. Why has it not been spent yet?
 * The Zorbs purchase has not gone through yet
 * Is this personal equipment?
 * They are going to give them away. They are also less than $1.


 * Maybe next semester, there should be a limit on days to make an equipment purchase. (10 days, 30 days?) Be better at taking money back from student groups where it is stuck, so FiCom does not go into the red.


 * Most accounts are at 0.
 * Circus Folk Unite: Steel contact juggling ball
 * Approved: $30, with a note that they have a lot of money in their account and should come in to FiCom to explain why it is still there.


 * “Use it or lose it” clause for funding. FiCom is working on this.
 * Need to discuss Samba’s request tonight.
 * SJP: Conference packets


 * Breakdown in email
 * Approved for $478


 * SJP: Flyers for conference


 * Color print? Comes to $19
 * Only 25 copies
 * Approved: $10 for b&amp;w copies. Contact FiCom if you really feel you need color copies.


 * 28mm


 * Want to know by Wednesday
 * Need to submit another request


 * Omen: Additional Food


 * Pam suggested we stop approving additional food because it is not as pressing as other requests.
 * How many weeks until the end of the semester? 3 or 4 weeks (including thanksgiving and finals; essentially 2 working weeks).


 * Omen still has $80 in their account. RFPs might not have gone through yet.


 * Overview of Additional Food Funding Requests


 * FiCom only funds food for one meeting per week per student group


 * Why is food funding done in increments?


 * FiCom wants a way to keep track of how student groups are spending their food funding
 * Attendance can change throughout the semester


 * None of the groups that are asking for food funding have submitted before.
 * Food funding is the lowest priority – since FiCom is in the red, should this be considered?
 * No email follow-ups from pending
 * RAICES is a SOURCE group. The $3K for SOURCE groups has gone to them already, this food funding request is extra.
 * How many weeks worth are we going to fund food funding for today?


 * Should we shut down food funding since we are near the end of the semester and don’t have any money?
 * Do we fund the ones who have already submitted?
 * We will submit an announcement regarding the shutting down of food funding.
 * “Since FiCom is running out of funds for the semester, Ficom will not be giving out any more food funding for the fall semester. This includes Janterm. As always, if you have any questions or problems, please contact FiCom.”


 * Omen: Additional Food


 * Approved: $40


 * Hampshire College Space Program: Additional Food
 * Approved: $50


 * Friends of Fermentation: Additional Food


 * Over the $4/person cap
 * Food group
 * Other groups centered around food manage to keep within the $4/person cap
 * Approved for $20


 * Language: Additional Food
 * Approved for $24


 * RAICES: Additional Food
 * Approved: $50
 * Send Friend of Fermentation an additional email explaining the FiCom Weekly Financial report to see how much money they have in their account. They can also meet with Marie.
 * Hampshire Christian Fellowship: Fund transfer to the HACU account


 * This is an event.
 * Is this student initiated?
 * Has money been requested from COCA? Yes, COCA gave them the money for it.
 * Approved: $105


 * The Urban Word: Transfer money for an event COCA approved


 * Approved for $150


 * Grupo Capoeira Angola: Samba drums


 * How many people interested? About 20, number is growing quickly
 * Do they need all of them? Teacher going to Brazil, buying drums there.
 * FiCom does not have the money to fund this
 * What is the absolute minimum that they would need to start a samba group?
 * Can we afford to give them any money this semester? The teacher going to Brazil is a huge opportunity, and equipment is cheaper and better quality this way
 * Pending: What is the minimum of equipment that you need?


 * Circus Folk Unite: DVDs


 * Advertisement
 * Gifts under $1
 * Ask them to come in to discuss the money in their account?
 * Pending: You have $3K in your account. Can you use that? Come in to FiCom.

To Council


 * Talk about funding
 * Tell Council the receipts will be on Hampedia, we are not publicizing this

Meeting adjourned 7:10PM

November 11
Minutes

Meeting 5:05PM Wednesday 11/11/09 Present: Luke, DeeDee, Daniel, Julia, Madeleine, Jackie, Zilong (left early), Wills (late), James (late), Mida (late)

Absent: Ananda (excused)

Not up to quorum, Mida has said she will come in later

From Monday’s agenda?


 * Paperwork for business office

Does anyone in the office now know the password to the computer?

All-signer email including links to clarify paperwork needs to be discussed

Jackie is writing an email to Special Programs to reserve the space for the signer appreciation event

Emails to Ficom


 * Climax – issue only going to be 8 pages – reducing funding requested
 * We already gave them funding
 * James Baldwin Scholars – more info on JB trip to NYC museum
 * What does FiCom need?
 * Need to do risk assessment?
 * Why is food being purchased? FiCom does not fund food on trips
 * How are you getting around in the city?

Risk assessment is 250 miles one way, not round trip

Quorum is reached at 5:20PM

Dillon is no longer showing up to FiCom or Council


 * Jackie is not able to take on the entire responsibilities of Financial Director
 * Daniel volunteers to help and go to Council
 * The responsibilities of the position can be shared
 * Who is supposed to/able to show up for Council and represent FiCom?
 * Daniel is going to take on Financial Director for the rest of the semester, Jackie is going to assist
 * Nobody has any more issues with this

Message from Council: Council would like to see the receipts from the Sam Light case

Somebody needs to write up fund transfers tonight – DeeDee

Discussing email to signers at the end of the meeting

More FiCom email


 * Gin &amp; Tonics – did they submit funding request to the right place
 * Climax issue – publications charges by page and color, not copies
 * Issue is 8 pages, price is now 451. We gave them $450
 * This is for how many copies? This doesn’t matter; they get 3K copies regardless
 * FiCom is confused
 * They need an extra $1. Nobody disapproves.

Hoodies?

Are we getting to funding requests? There is one more email; FiCom is not comfortable replying without the entire body present

Next week Council will vote on all officer positions


 * We need to figure out exactly who is in what officer position
 * Wait until Mida gets to the meeting

Funding requests

Tabling Sports Co-op


 * EPEC: Booklet of courses


 * Pending: this is publications; also, itemize; exact number.

Can this be condensed to 8 pages to save paper?

5:42 PM Guests:


 * Ask who gives out the money?
 * It is noted that not every member of FiCom has a title
 * Grievance of HIP not getting enough funding
 * Guests say about 25% of HIP’s normal budget was approved this year
 * FiCom has been talking to HIP, suggests guests should talk to signers, say signers sent them here
 * FiCom asked HIP for slightly more transparency
 * FiCom got the funding proposal when most of the SAF had been spent for the semester
 * We only have about $3K for the rest of the semester
 * Zoho is entirely public
 * Problem with Zoho: it is antiquated, say the guests
 * Why are the funding requests separated by category? Guests are saying that there should be a Statement of *Finances rather than an online submission form
 * Guests say they are Division III and do not have time to join FiCom. It is noted that at least five members on *FiCom are currently in Division III.
 * Guests wonder where the money from the SAF went.
 * It went to student groups.
 * The money is shared with other student groups and COCA.
 * HIP has been approved this year for more than 1/3 of what they requested.
 * Guests want to know how much does the sword fighting student group get? Anybody can see this online. Guests complain that it is too hard to tell.
 * Voices are raised. Please be respectful.
 * HIP is the only way one of the guests gets money to make his work.
 * SAF money is supposed to be used for community events. HIP falls into a grey area of academic work and individual student projects.
 * FiCom does not yet know how much money will be available to fund student groups next semester.
 * HIP is the only art grant available for students on campus.
 * Future discussions are going to be had on how to fund HIP.
 * The SAF is about $200K before permanent funding
 * Guests say that a grant should be made available for students to make artwork. They say there is too much money going to games, which are not as community building as art.
 * How can we have HIP conform to how the SAF works?
 * Community aspect of individual projects, and needing to know that the SAF can benefit the community, as opposed to one individual.
 * Issue of community after the work is done. Everybody is affected by art. A show, even if put on by an individual, builds community.
 * Guests say that there is nothing larger going on in a group of people having fun, it is just people having fun. *Art is thought-provoking and community building.
 * SAF has been trying to support things that they shouldn’t be recently (i.e. HCEMS). FiCom is unclear what the role of FiCom is.
 * Money should also come from schools and other offices on campus.
 * Complaint that Hampshire does not have community within the arts program. Belief that this stems from not having a way to fund work.
 * Thought: If HIP is dismantled, something else should be put in place for student artists to get money.
 * The issue FiCom takes with HIP is not with the mission statement, but with how the money is spent.
 * System of checks and balances needs to be in place for this.
 * Example of Excalibur. Thought that it is not worthy of the amount of funds that it gets. Guest cannot find what $8K has been spent on, only can find some of it. Wants more transparency, to see where funds are going. *Zoho only shows the decision of how much funding they get, not where it goes?
 * Idea that proposal for groups should be one line item for every group
 * Shouldn’t have to manipulate Zoho to piece together how much money one group is getting.
 * This is the first semester with Zoho. There is definitely room for improvement.
 * Suggestion to reevaluate where the money is going
 * Argument that HIP is not individual because anybody can go to the show
 * An individual student would get $900 through the HIP grant.
 * This is the first time that Luca’s funding got cut.
 * Just because some people would make this their coursework does not mean everybody would.
 * There still are people that do use the money for academic work.
 * Will talk to HIP students to figure out how to make HIP work with the SAF guidelines.
 * Reminded: FiCom meets 5-7PM Monday and Wednesday. Please join if you are concerned.

Guests left 6:07PM

SJP Came in


 * Want to know if they can be reimbursed for van mileage – additional funds for an event request.
 * COCA said to come to FiCom.
 * Don’t know how much money it would be.
 * 3 school vans, defensive drivers
 * Nobody has said if they need to be picked up from the airport yet. Also, there are shuttle services going to be provided for the conference.
 * Submit an estimate and FiCom will take into account that the event is unknown.
 * Submit in miscellaneous.
 * Remember gas receipts!

Samba Collective came in


 * They are part of the Capoeira group
 * Changed mission statement to include Samba group
 * Same instructor as has been teaching Capoeira
 * School owns some samba drums, instructor has been bringing others
 * Interested in purchasing drums
 * There is significant interest in this group
 * FiCom does not fund equipment for classes
 * Would need to itemize request on Zoho. Find lowest costs possible.
 * Hoping to purchase drums directly from factory in Brazil while instructor is there
 * Instead of shipping, extra volume in baggage would need to be paid for (significantly cheaper than international shipping)
 * They do not have exact prices yet because of this. The drums prices can vary a lot.
 * A one-time investment that lasts for a long time. Hopefully, to be used in performances soon.
 * Ideal price is $4,000. They are trying to get their club off the ground.
 * They do have a certain minimum, which will be in the funding request.
 * Instructor is going to Brazil at the end of November.
 * Submit request ASAP.
 * SAF is low on funds for this semester, will refresh at the end of Janterm.
 * Concerns about shipping or cost of transporting drums. This could be very, very expensive.
 * There need to be receipts for everything. Samba Collective understands this.
 * Staying as a part of Capoeira collective next semester, expanding mission.
 * Where might they be stored? In the MDB, there is a lot of space in the storage closet.
 * Instruments are samba-specific.
 * Please list in the inventory on your Hampedia
 * Reminder: FiCom does not fund academic work.
 * Submit a request to get the instructor paid.
 * Go to CLA or submit online (on Zoho)

Crazy Pitches came in


 * Fund transfer
 * Fee for recital hall in MDB for a concert this Friday
 * Was an event form submitted?
 * Yes; told that the event request was separate from the fund transfer
 * Steps: 1. Fill out event request form (ERF from Special Programs). 2. Request money for Crazy Pitches (to COCA through Event Funding Request Form on Zoho). 3. Request a fund transfer to MDB (to FiCom through the Fund Transfer Request Form on Zoho).
 * This was submitted in time, just not in the right place.
 * Fund transfer of $150.
 * Crazy Pitches never requested this money from COCA.
 * FiCom will talk about this.
 * This was not included in their event request.

The fund transfer?


 * This is the only expense; thought they only had to apply for a fund transfer.
 * Signers did everything they were told; they were wrongly informed.
 * Okay to fund, with the stipulation that we email COCA with the details.
 * They don’t have the money – FiCom will transfer the money to them to transfer to MDB
 * Does this come from FiCom or COCA’s account? FiCom


 * Crazy Pitches: Fund transfer


 * Approved for $150. Next time, please submit using the event request form

FiCom is currently in the red.

If we approve the entirety of the next request, we might have actually spent more money than we have.


 * Sports Co-op: Funding for referees, hotels for tournaments, equipment, etc.


 * Some of these things have already happened.
 * Doesn’t seem like FiCom’s job to fund this. Why is the RCC not paying? Why can’t they get money elsewhere?
 * They are putting only two people in a hotel room.
 * Did OPRA used to pay coaching fees, etc?
 * Red Scare, at least, is funded by the SAF.
 * “Student Activities Fee” is for more than just student groups
 * This funding has always come out of the SAF.
 * Should we ask them to come in?
 * Have these already been paid for?

Climax came in


 * Originally asked for $653, to print 12 pages up to 3K copies
 * Not printed by price per copy; printed by pages in issue.
 * Now $451 for 8 pages up to 3K copies.
 * This issue is $451. Climax needs $1.
 * Flat rate from anything for 1 to 3,000 copies.
 * FiCom is no longer confused about this.


 * Climax has extra money in their account. Some of the transfers might not have gone through yet.

Sports Co-op?


 * This should become part of permanent funding?
 * Ask groups that have coaches, semester fees, etc, to ask for this in the first month or so of school
 * Where was this submitted?


 * Pending some questions: Where was this submitted, do you need that many hotel rooms, etc. Come in and talk. See Zoho.


 * Hampshire College Equestrian Team: Reimbursements


 * This should have been submitted before the entry fees were paid
 * Pending: Come in to FiCom


 * Mural Collective: Mass MoCA Trip

$10/person


 * Hampshire van, submit gas receipts
 * Pending: we will give you the $140 when we figure out how gas mileage in Hampshire vans works

Instead of more funding requests, should we talk about officers and titles? We have another meeting before Council.

Make sure this happens at Monday’s meeting.

Draft of statement about closed group recognition.

This will be emailed. It could go in the mass signer email which we are going to be sending anyway.

Also into the mass signer email needs to be added info from business office.

Link to statement on Hampedia can go in email, maybe not the entire text.


 * 28mm: Spraypaint


 * Detailed list for other requests has been submitted.
 * This group is asking for a lot of money when totaled.
 * This went into pending last meeting.
 * SAF is low. Discussion of pulling unspent money from groups.
 * Other requests of theirs are contingent on the first one.
 * They haven’t made many requests.
 * Tabled until next meeting when we have time.

Meeting adjourned 7:03PM

November 9
Agenda:


 * funding requests
 * Sam Light posters, request for public statement, request from Council for advice
 * new requirements for paperwork (from Business Office)

http://www.hampshire.edu/businessoffice/6737.htm - Travel Expense and Reimbursement Policy

http://www.hampshire.edu/businessoffice/6737.htm - Obtaining Reimbursement

http://www.hampshire.edu/businessoffice/6743.htm - Meals and Entertainment

http://www.hampshire.edu/businessoffice/6747.htm - Reimbursable and Non-reimbursable Expenses

http://www.hampshire.edu/businessoffice/6751.htm - Travel and Lodging

http://www.hampshire.edu/businessoffice/6886.htm - Reimbursement Rates At-a-Glance


 * mass signer email-Hot Choco and Pie? Hoodie contest?

Minutes

Meeting Monday November 9th Present: Luke, Mida, Daniel, DeeDee, Madeleine, Zilong (left early), Jackie, James(late), Wills (late)

Absent: Ananda (excused)

SJP came in to make sure funding request for informational packets got looked at

28mm came in


 * Only have enough miniatures for 2 people to play, want to expand this
 * They still have a few brushes, but they are not in good shape
 * Need better breakdown of miniatures in order to approve request

HCEMS came in


 * What happened to their Hampshire Halloween money? Did it go to PubS?
 * Check with COCA; they are in charge of Halloween budget


 * RAICES: Envelopes and stamps for pen pals


 * Can only fund through Janterm, need to resubmit during next semester for next semester
 * Approved for $132


 * Mythos: Supplies for Elimination
 * Approved for $27


 * SJP: Informational packets
 * Pending: Further detail


 * James Baldwin Scholars: Food for an event
 * Denied: this is an event. Please resubmit to COCA.


 * Dandelion Den: Books


 * Can these be registered in the library if they still keep them in their student group’s space?
 * Make sure they are listed on Hampedia
 * How are the used book sold? Are the shipping costs accurate?
 * Approved: $75.00

From COCA: Sam Light and Leanna Pohevitz came in to talk, regarding last year’s incidents and the recent responses


 * Public Safety response; harassment complaint has been filed; some students have been threatening COCA members
 * COCA worked until 4AM last night to put together a letter to the community


 * What kinds of threats? Rabble rousers with a megaphone in the dorm quad (after quiet hours); Offensive posters around campus. COCA took some posters down. 300 copies went up on Saturday (Saga, dorm halls, CLA office doors, Community Council office doors); there was also a threatening note in Community Council office. More than one COCA officer has been cornered and verbally assaulted. A COCA member feels very misrepresented in a to-be-printed Climax article.


 * Not allowed to give certain facts to community (because of confidentiality of CRB)
 * COCA open meeting on Thursday
 * Pam and Josiah discussing issue with some COCA officer(s) and members(s)
 * The issue is more about how things are happening than what is happening
 * Students have a right to be concerned, but the case was already heard. They can protest all they want, but this is now personal attacks.
 * Even the first-semester members of COCA are being roped into this


 * No denial from COCA that wrongs were done or that students have a right to be upset. However, facts are getting blown out of proportion. COCA is working to clear out the lies, and prepared for people to bring forward various ways to work towards fixing this


 * People have been asking administration for information. Administration is not allowed to give people information. No official statement of what the findings were.
 * COCA has cooperated with everything, and is trying to move on and work as a committee
 * Nobody has questioned the parties directly involved at all
 * The report is true, but is it the be-all end-all?
 * FiCom wrote the report, seems that people should come to FiCom if they have questions
 * This is how students react to issues on this campus
 * COCA is asking FiCom to reaffirm the fact that the report is public; people are hearing misinformation from not reading this report
 * Also asking FiCom to acknowledge that the goal of making this public was to raise awareness in students, not to have students harrassing members of COCA
 * COCA is willing to make changes as according to what the community wants; the current situation is not an appropriate way for the community to go about it
 * Issue is coming to Council tomorrow
 * Who to ask for more information? Community Council? FiCom?
 * Anybody who can should show up to COCA’s meeting Thursday at 8PM
 * Should we all just let it blow over?
 * Asked of FiCom: to put it out there that this was not the intended outcome, and that it is possible and encouraged to create discourse without threatening anyone Sam and Leanna left
 * Four or so emails regarding the issue have been sent to Council, including from somebody on leave What is FiCom’s role in this?
 * Give it as little attention as possible?
 * Publicize the report?
 * Decision was made not to publicize report when circumstances were different
 * Put it out there that people should talk to FiCom if they have questions
 * Receipts in question have not been publicly available; this could show exactly how funds were misused?
 * Not FiCom’s place to issue any other statements
 * Community Council is the proper body to issue a statement about community norms
 * Report can be publicized by individuals involved or others if they believe it is necessary
 * There is a note on the Hampedia page to come in to FiCom if you want to see more specifics

Anything else to bring to Council tomorrow?


 * Question from a FiCom member: How does Council differ from CRB?


 * FiCom can remove signer priveleges, paid through SAF money, etc, Council can remove officer and voting positions, etc
 * CRB is part of the Dean of Student Services office

Should FiCom end an email to council and COCA about the recent events?


 * Is there anything outside the report that FiCom wants to issue?
 * Potential for receipts to be greatly misread if they are made publicly available
 * Can FiCom give a list of things that were purchased?
 * Did FiCom not keep copies of the receipts?
 * No number was published as far as how much money was misused
 * FiCom does have copies of the receipts
 * Tension on campus about use of money in general Email sent to Council and COCA

Funding Requests!


 * Circus Folk Unite: Cirque du Soleil DVDs


 * Can this stay in the library?
 * Not for public screenings
 * Approved: $86


 * Climax: 2,000 copies


 * Excessive; over the number of students Hampshire has
 * What have we previously approved? 1,400 copies costs $448
 * Not every student on campus reads the Climax
 * Staff and faculty do read the Climax
 * Are there intentions to publicize beyond the student body (i.e. off-campus, etc)
 * Is the Climax online?
 * SAF funds are low
 * Approved: $450


 * Connoisseurs of Cheesy Comestibles: Additional Food


 * $6 left in their food budget, no outstanding purchases
 * Meet once a week when they can afford cheese
 * End of semester coming up
 * How many more meetings expected? 3 or so?
 * Can these be funded one meeting at a time? They usually aren’t.
 * Can it be cut down to 2 meetings? Is there a good reason for it to be?
 * Approved: $195


 * QCA: Additional food


 * 3 more meetings this month
 * Approved: $180


 * CAs: Additional food


 * Far over their $4/person cap
 * When were they given food funding last? Given 4 weeks of meeting food on 10/14; it is a reasonable time for them to ask for more food money
 * Continue funding $28/meeting
 * 3 more meetings this month
 * Approved: $84


 * SFU: Additional food


 * 3 more meetings
 * Approved: $90


 * HUA: Additional food


 * Hampedia meeting time says once/month \
 * If they meet more frequently, they need to make sure to update Hampedia and let FiCom know
 * Approved: $40


 * QIPOC: Additional food
 * Denied: If you do require more food funding, please resubmit with an estimate of how much you anticipate spending per meeting
 * QIPOC can come in to talk to FiCom
 * What is the treatment of closed groups that they are upset about?
 * Is the request for a plan of how to engage community upsetting?
 * Engaging community does not necessarily need to be one open event a semester
 * Clarifying statement might be necessary
 * Invite people to a FiCom meeting
 * Hasn’t become a fully developed system yet
 * This was brought up at a council meeting
 * Send the new signer recognition form with the additional questions to the community
 * Task force on this form? Working with the CLA
 * Send out an email inviting people to FiCom meeting sometime next week, sending specifically to directors and signers, as well as the general Hampshire community
 * Reminder: FiCom meeetings are open to the Hampshire community, and students are welcome to become members of FiCom


 * SJP: Additional food


 * 3 more meetings
 * Approved: $225


 * Itemized submission of outstanding purchases? Must be within 30 days to be processed

Signer Appreciation Event


 * Sent in COCA event request
 * Got menu, got dining commons Fri 12/4 at 8pm
 * $350 to $400 for food for 100 people; caterer (Sodexho) won’t give an exact amount until all other details are worked out
 * Sent to COCA a note to let the request sit there until the numbers are finalized
 * Good opportunity for other students to meet FiCom
 * FiCom meet ‘n’ greet for next semester?


 * HUA: funding transfer to CPSC


 * COCA gave them $1,000
 * They have support from other offices and are still $250 short
 * They don’t have $250 in their budget to transfer to CPSC
 * Asking for money, not a transfer
 * What is COCA’s ruling on additional funding for an already funded event?
 * The SAF is running low
 * Denied: You do not have the money in your account. Also, this is an event. Please talk to COCA to request additional funding.


 * Climbers Coalition; Fund transfer to OPRA


 * They have the money in their account
 * Approved: $25 transfer

Who is going to council tomorrow?


 * Info session is next week, not this week
 * Daniel volunteers and is the only one able to go

Is Julia taking office manager position?


 * Further discussion next meeting

Need to have further discussion about stipends


 * Council is going to be voting on stipends next meeting
 * How is this going to work when signers and officers are changing midway through the semester? Worked out individually between the people?
 * Numbers are for the positions; who gets the money is dependent upon the committee
 * There was no decision on amounts; going with what is generally assumed

Meeting adjourned 7:00PM

November 4
Agenda:


 * fund transfers
 * Natural Disaster Club- amount needed to be reimbursed for gas, this is the policy when school vans are used. must hand in receipts. also, hotel- see request for additional funds
 * COCA- inappropriate behavior on the part of COCA, concerning the way they are treating Marie, how 777 funds are being used, and their approach to working with FiCom.
 * HUA additional information: Cost is "400 dollars for 'large institutions' which UROC considers any higher education institution to be. We plan on doing a talk-back in a STWAR group meeting which will be publicized with flyers, but if a larger talk-back seems important and/or necessary we will definitely consider doing one (especially considering that STWAR has traditionally been a white-identified space, although not exclusively so)."
 * letter to community re HCEMS draft (will be emailed to all members of Executive Cabinet, posted to Daily Digest?):

Given the Hampshire's lack of support for the Hampshire College Emergency Medical Service (HCEMS) program, the Financial Committee (FiCom) has decided to make a single exception to the Student Activities Fee Guidelines, in order to fund JanTerm training program scholarships for students who desire to become EMTs. FiCom is highly disappointed in the administration's lack of respect for the program, and its seeming unwillingness to give it the institutional support such an integral program deserves.


 * letter to Social Advocacy Centers reminding them about our expectations concerning end of semester budget reportback
 * Reportback re paperwork/Marie: Director is working with Marie and the Business Office to outline the new expectations for paperwork, so that these can be clearly communicated to signers, and the duty to screen for incorrect paperwork will be moved back to Pam; Marie has been fulfilling this role, which is not at all part of her job expectations
 * New Director of Finances? Possible transition for Office Manager?
 * dates for retreats/end of semester meeting
 * SafeCom is in support of funding the HCEMS scholarships
 * Endowment

All as of 6/30/09 $287,485.00 Student Endowment - Book Value (amts. contributed &amp; invested) $214,986.52 Student Endowment - Market Value $ 63,756.15 Student Endowment - accumulated interest - money that can be spent As of 6/30/09 $14,026.88 was the interest for FYE09 (included in the $63,756.15)

Minutes


 * Present: Ananda, Dillon, Wills, Deedee, Jackie, Madeleine, Daniel, Julia, Luke (late), Zilong (late)
 * Excused: Mida


 * Financial Director duties: Dillon/Jackie
 * Office Manager duties: Julia?


 * COCA is in the red


 * Hampshire Halloween ticket sales to be transferred to 601, not 611; COCA can request $$ through FiCom
 * COCA is not currently authored for fund transfers from 777
 * Who makes which decisions, and who should? To be discussed upon receiving further information
 * COCA should ask for $$ before going into the red


 * Trip requests left till the end of the meeting


 * Mythos: Information Docket
 * Pending: further detail


 * RAICES: Stamps &amp; Envolopes
 * Pending: further detail


 * Slam Collective: Transportation for a performer
 * Denied: talk to COCA, this is for an event


 * HUA: Undoing Racism Training


 * Coming in to talk?


 * HCEMS: Food &amp; flyers for an informational mtg about scholarships


 * Is this an event? Do they need food?


 * Denied: use money from initial meeting food budget, submit additional meeting food funding if necessary


 * COCA came in to talk (Peter Modest, Financial Director)


 * Requesting $15K for the rest of the semester, with possible further applications for &lt;$5K
 * Belief from COCA that 777 should remain in student events budget event requests have been consistent &amp; frequent
 * Overall assessment of the situation needed
 * COCA wonders about permanent equipment, trips, etc; funding which does not serve as many people
 * After Halloween bills clear, how much would be left in 777 from initial $45K?
 * Remember: FiCom will continue to fund COCA
 * Yes, we have pulled from contingency as much as possible
 * Possibility of transferring to COCA smaller increments more often
 * Possibility of reclaiming unspent money from student groups before end of the semester
 * Issues from CLA about 777 funds trying to be accessed and used inappropriately (trying to transfer to 611)
 * Reminder: FiCom is the budgeting organization, in charge of the accounts Marie upset with the way a member of COCA has been treating her; she does not have any power over the money, just does paperwork (specific incident earlier today)
 * Necessary to work with all the committees and offices to maintain better working relationships
 * The need for large amounts of money to be spent on individual events; email FiCom after every meeting? With totals of $$ spent :How does COCA reply to students? Zoho should send emails; it has been flaky. COCA informs signers to check Zoho after every meeting. Signers have become used to getting emails from FiCom, perhaps COCA should follow suit?
 * FiCom requests that COCA send emails to signers when a decision is made Also going to be officially asked of CLA When does COCA paperwork go to CLA? The day after or the next day. Halloween made things tough.


 * Dillon motions to transfer $10K to COCA as soon as ticket sales clear. Daniel seconds.


 * This is slightly more than half that FiCom has left.
 * COCA is already in the red.
 * Worries about event requests dropping off – they have not been notably slowing down.
 * Collaboration with CoCD?
 * Dipping into endowment interest – takes votes outside of FiCom
 * Which accounts can funding be taken from?
 * COCA has over $5K in submitted requests, as well as pending, and what is going to be coming in. With the condition that Sam's behavior is noted and that COCA is not allowed to transfer funds. No blocks. Motion approved.


 * EPEC: Print outs for students


 * Should we be funding personal equipment (I.e. notebooks, etc) for classes? EPEC can count for credit. EPEC courses can also have lab fees.


 * Denied: FiCom will not fund personal equipment for classes


 * New Leaf: Campus Camp Wellstone
 * Denied: this is an event


 * Hampshire Fencing: New England Fencing Conference Dues


 * Allows any student at Hampshire to fence at any event this encompasses


 * Approved


 * Zine Collective: Swingling Long Reach Stapler


 * How to make sure it doesn't get stolen?


 * Pending: answer questions on Zoho.


 * 28mm: Plastic and metal Miniatures, rule books


 * How does this fit in equipment requests? Is there a better place to store things?


 * Pending: please see Zoho


 * 28mm: Glue, brushes
 * Pending: Dependent on first requesting


 * Zine Collective: Swingline Long Reach Stapler
 * Denied: Already approved


 * EPEC: Digital Voice Recorder
 * Denied: does media services have something you can use?


 * EPEC:Massage Pad
 * Denied: does community health have equipment you can use? Also, more information needed.


 * EPEC: Large sketchbooks


 * If there is equipment needed for a course, and it is in a lab fee, this might prohibit some people from taking the course. Lab fees already prohibit students from taking other courses. Please come in to FiCom if there are people that cannot take the course due to inability to purchase equipment. How do we know that this is personal equipment? It is getting distributed to the class. Is some of this personal equipment, but rather going to be kept at the CLA afterwards?


 * Denied: Personal equipment.


 * EPEC: Lion Brand Wool-Ease
 * Denied: Personal equipment


 * EPEC: Colonial Needle Company Single Pointed 9” Needles (size eight)
 * Denied: Personal equipment


 * Glass Collective: Additional Food


 * Fund meeting food for other groups in Lemelson; they all work together


 * Approved for $214


 * COCA: Additional Food


 * Is the $6 important? Daniel motions to give COCA $50/meeting. Dillon seconds. Wills blocks. Food spending like that is gratuitous. They are only asking for one meeting a week. 2 in favor. 3 against. Luke motions to give them $4/person/meeting, which comes to $192. Wills seconds. No blocks. Motion passes.


 * Approved for $192.


 * Climbers Coalition: Additional Food
 * Approved for $192


 * EPEC: Additional Food for EPEC courses


 * Do we feel comfortable giving EPEC courses food money? Why is food funding necessary?


 * Denied: need more information, # of people, why are there non-food items listed in food budget


 * Local Foods Initiative: Additional Food


 * LFI has no inventory


 * Approved for $320


 * FISH: Additional Food


 * Food budget low Over the $4/person/meeting


 * Approved: $400


 * FISH: Additional Food
 * Denied: repeat request


 * FISH: Additional Food
 * Denied: repeat request


 * FISH: Additional Food
 * Denied: repeat request


 * Letter to Community Re: HCEMS Edited to better reflect FiCom's views as a whole Submitting this statement to the Daily Digest, Executive Cabinet, Climax, Omen?


 * Dillon motions to submit this statement to all available news sources on campus and all pertinent administration. Wills seconds. Daniel blocks. 5 in favor.


 * Voting memberships. Should there be non-voting members?


 * Trying to get official permission to get FiCom to come back early.
 * Too many people.
 * Administrators of FiCom/core members/different level of membership could come back early.
 * Vote tabled until Monday.
 * If somebody sits in for 3 meetings, they should be able to petition to become a voting member. A current voting member would need to motion, somebody has to second, and a vote has to be held.


 * Email to Social Advocacy Centers regarding end-of-semester reportback; they must submit a budget Include CLA Line-by-line breakdown Send in by 12/12


 * Classes end 12/11


 * SafeCom in support of HCEMS scholarships


 * Endowment (see agenda) Interest may be accessed by all-community vote Request for a complete history of transactions into and out of that account; why are the reports on the endowment varying?


 * New expectations for paperwork Mass email to signers Duty to screen for incorrect paperwork moved back to Pam


 * Financial Director


 * Jackie is willing to take on the role
 * Dillon will continue going to Council meetings when he can, Jackie will attend the rest
 * Share the workload for the rest of the semester
 * How is voting done on Council then?
 * Can the FiCom representative at the Council meeting get the proxy vote?
 * Check in with Council about this Talk outside of FiCom


 * Trip requests


 * Climber's Coalition: Climbing Trip
 * Pending: Risk Assessment


 * Red Scare: Green Mountain Tournament


 * To be reimbursed for extra driver Unspent money was already pulled out


 * Approved for $140


 * Circus Folk Unite: Umass Cirque Mechanics: Birdhouse Factory
 * Approved for $156


 * Pending – have not yet done what we asked of them.


 * Leave HUA request in case they come in


 * Meetings for the end of the semester


 * a) Meet for a couple days after classes end
 * b) Meet for a couple days during Janterm
 * c) Meet for a Saturday retreat before end of semester, and once after semester ends
 * Email possibilities to Ananda – before Monday!
 * Between Janterm and Spring semester?


 * HUA: Undoing Racism Training


 * Should we let CPSC fund the whole thing? (Only let two students go)
 * Can they do a bigger event upon their return?
 * They are a very active student group; this can help equip them to better the Hampshire community at large
 * They obtained half the funding from other sources


 * Approved for $1,000 with the caveat that they hold a larger event upon their return


 * What to do about requests which say “office budgets got cut; we need FiCom” The SAF cannot afford all this


 * FiCom spent $2,664 of the total around $7,000. FiCom now has roughly $4,300 left.


 * PCards are moving forward.

Meeting adjourned 6:38PM.

November 2
Agenda:


 * funding requests
 * Community Health Collaborative fund transfers
 * Jewish Student Union funding mixups (transfer $346.66)
 * Natural Disaster Club extra hotel money request
 * Schedule times for end of semester meeting
 * Council did not bother to attend the SAF Informational Meeting
 * Exceptions: Catherine Craig, Emily Ryan, Ella Wind, COCA, SafeCom signers
 * COCA (and SafeCom signers) SAF Info Meeting this Tues at 830pm

Check-Ins:


 * Hot Chocolate and Pie Social
 * By-laws and SAF Guidelines Task Force
 * Hoodie Art Contest

Meeting Minutes:


 * HCEMS: Scholarships for EMT training
 * proposal on Zoho
 * hard for students to take course due to financial situations
 * decreased incentives to join program
 * for students who don't have access to initial resources to take program
 * diversifying squad; entry fee usually $1000 which needs to be fronted
 * recertifying cost
 * evaluate applications based on merit and need; “how much do you think you can personally pay?”
 * pool of money to take from for interested students who need it
 * how many students took this course in the past? Last janterm 2 Hampshire students, year before 6 Hampshire students; decreased significantly due to financial situations
 * getting resources from offices and the school is impossible
 * worked with administration, Public Safety, Dean of Students, President Hexter, etc.
 * might alleviate some of the need EMTs feel to be paid as before
 * FiCom cannot set a precedent for giving out scholarships to students
 * Administration appears to have completely abandoned HCEMS. This is something that should be institutionally supported
 * would have a very significant influence on the presence of the EMT squad next fall
 * at times it seems as if the SAF is turning into the student life support fund, what with the growing number of permanent funding obligations


 * HCEMS: Dawn's proposal for adding HCEMS to SAF
 * HCEMS is not seen as a budgeting priority for Hampshire
 * HCEMS will be incrementally destroyed, will ultimately mean a new standard of care for the students
 * EMTs to get funding from SAF instead of Hampshire
 * Or, preferably, have a separate student entry fee for EMT budget ($70/student/year would fund 24/7 all expenses, $35 to 40/student/year would bring it up to the $50K EMTs are operating with now)
 * Concerns about different standards of care
 * Concerns about raising costs for students
 * Not enough $$ in SAF to sustain HCEMS
 * shouldn't this be institutionally supported?


 * FiCom: EMT scholarships (to be transfer to HCEMS as needed)
 * Motion: FiCom will earmark $3900 from 601, by moving it to the FiCom operating budget, for the use of EMTs for scholarships for the JanTerm EMT course. The money will be paid to the program, not given to the individual students. HCEMS will be expected to do a full application process and bring back the amount needed, not greater than $3900, to FiCom. This is an exception, as it does not fall under SAF Guidelines. It is only being funded because HCEMS is a critical campus program, and FiCom recognizes the necessity of this funding in order to ensure the longevity of the program. This is a one-time funding decision. This will be accompanied by a statement to the community voicing our disappointment in their lack of support for this integral program.
 * Approved (5 in favor, none against, 1 abstaining due to conflict of interests): $3900
 * Counselor Advocates: fund transfer to Community Health
 * Approved: $285
 * JSU: fund transfer to Rabbi
 * Approved: $347


 * Dillon is stepping down from financial director
 * workload too high, cannot attend many upcoming meetings for various reasons
 * tabled until Wednesday


 * Community Council: informational meeting regarding proper SAF spending
 * no one showed up to the meetings: rude?
 * Ananda sent an angry email to Council list: rude?
 * Will ask that, for Nov 17 Council meeting, 40 minutes be devoted to SAF informational presentation
 * COCA and SafeCom signers will attend presentation Tues at 830pm, as previously scheduled

Attendance Mida, Dan, Julia, Jackie, DeeDee, Wills, Ananda, James, Madeleine, Dillon, Luke

October 28
Agenda:


 * Come to COCA meeting with SAF presentation?
 * Community Health Collaborative fund transfers
 * Reportback re Halloween tickets, thus far:

Five College 600

Hampstore 901

CLA 132

TOTAL 1633

In 2008 we sold 1611 with only 1253 attending, in 2007 there were 1131 guests and in 2006 we had 1329


 * From Crazy Pitches: The concert will be on November 13th. It is pending Coca's approval as we speak
 * Groups receiving a pcard this semester:
 * FiCom
 * SafeCom
 * HCEMS
 * Excalibur
 * Magic Draft
 * Connoisseurs of Cheesy Comestibles
 * Knitting &amp; Crafting Group


 * dates that work for everyone for initial allocations/other decisions. Do another Saturday retreat, and two days after classes end?
 * EPEC funding
 * From Marie: FiCom - PCard question: If I need to receive from a student group - documentation for two pcard purchases - and this group wants to use the pcard again before turning in the documentation for these two past purchases (events already happened should have documentation) - can I put them off from a third purchase until I get the proper documentation for the two purchases already???? Please advise

Check-ins:


 * Hot Chocolate and Pie Social
 * By-laws and SAF Guidelines Task Force
 * Wills and Mida will set up an art contest for hoodie design

Minutes:


 * Met with JSU right before beginning of meeting. Pam informed JSU that all the Shabbat dinners had been approved, except for Hampshire Halloween, so they never realized that neither COCA nor FiCom had approved them.
 * SMIFF: came in to talk to us about software subscription
 * Noah is the advisor. meet with him once a week, he oversees the meetings and gives advice
 * 7 members. advertise with flyers, intranet posters
 * been gaining a greater understanding of socially responsible investing, and criteria for screening stocks, learning how to invest funds. hoping to get money from donor within two months
 * need this database beforehand so that they can work on finding valuable stocks, learning whether they are undervalued/overvalued in advance
 * Approved: $598
 * COCA wants SAF info session at their meeting
 * Tuesday, November 3, 8:30pm
 * Crazy Pitches: Fund Transfer
 * COCA only approved $10 for event, follow up with them
 * P-card groups are approved
 * meetings and forms being made/set-up
 * EPEC: funding didn't go through at the beginning of the semester
 * We are putting it through now $698
 * Pcard purchase reciepts- Marie will not allow further purchases if there are 2 outstanding receipts
 * Polyglot Society: additional money for ARE
 * Approved: $123
 * Climax: postcards
 * Approved: $11 (we did the math with $0.03
 * Circus Folk Unite: Circus show trip
 * Approved: $225
 * Counselor Advocates: t-shirts
 * Denied: We cannot fund personal equipment
 * Amnesty International: posters
 * Denied: You still have $10 initial advertising
 * Amnesty International: additional food
 * Approved: $40 (4 meetings)
 * Hoodie art contest: Mida and Wills will set it up by Monday, bring in draft of how it will work
 * Climbers Coalition Mexico JanTerm trip
 * one student responded to listserv, interested
 * nobody responded to intranet announcement
 * OPRA trips get 9-12 students, don't get filled
 * trip is for advanced climbers, who are at a different level than OPRA caters to
 * needs to be during school times
 * should there be a max number of days a trip a request can be for?
 * about $5000 for 6 students served, if they go via plane
 * tabled until Pam gets back to us re risk assessment
 * HIP
 * could HIP students organize and do things in a group?
 * SAF Guidelines clearly say that we do not fund independent projects
 * independent projects SHOULD be funded by Hampshire. this is a really cool student initiative
 * are we engaging in too much oversight? But they usually spend over ten thousand dollars
 * how can we work with HIP to find a way to fund them?
 * how do we fund student-activated projects?
 * re funding individual, independent projects: theoretically, if everyone came in and asked for a $500 individual project, we could not fund it
 * if we do fund student-activated projects, we are going to have even more money that we will be handing out. will we start having to make value judgments?
 * Question for the community: should FiCom fund independent projects?

October 26
Agenda:


 * Motion to have two-hour Wednesday meetings


 * COCA
 * DJ Blanche Devereaux: "Although, Sebastian Barr (DJ Blanche Devereaux) performs often in accordance with Sam Light, Blanche was selected in the same process as of all of our other musicians. He DJed at Spring Jam (at that time called “Sarah F***in Barr”) and has had such a strong follwoing at Smith College that we unanimously voted for him to DJ at Halloween. We understand your concern with including Hampshire artists and in fact, we hired all but one of the Hampshire DJs that submitted demos to us. There were still three spots left to fill and so we had to look into other sources. As a final note, Sam will not be performing at Halloween and will, of course, not be obtaining any of the money that is to go towards Blanche Devereaux."
 * "Student groups were allotted an original 3,000 dollars but very few student groups came forward with programming ideas. In fact, only one group of students came forward with a Halloween idea, which we are supporting in full. In addition, we're paying for Sexperts/CAs to distribute safer sex supplies."
 * Radios: "The two-way radios were something we brought up in our first meetings with FiCom as something completely necessary for safety, security, etc. at all major COCA events. Since they are a part of the Halloween budget we weren't completely clear that we had to request money for them. Please be assured that the two-way radios were something we've been talking about with Public Safety and EMTs since last Halloween. The minor discrepancy in costs between the radios we order and the radios for the EMTs have to do manly with the headsets-COCA had to order special "in-the-ear" headsets so we can hear each other through the load chaos of the event! We feel that they are a completely necessary item.The two-way radios were something we brought up in our first meetings with FiCom as something completely necessary for safety, security, etc. at all major COCA events. Since they are a part of the Halloween budget we weren't completely clear that we had to request money for them. Please be assured that the two-way radios were something we've been talking about with Public Safety and EMTs since last Halloween. The minor discrepancy in costs between the radios we order and the radios for the EMTs have to do manly with the headsets-COCA had to order special "in-the-ear" headsets so we can hear each other through the load chaos of the event! We feel that they are a completely necessary item."
 * Complaint from VIBE: "I have no problem with what HIP is doing (I think it fosters a healthy environment for original art production on campus), I just expect there to be a consistency in how student groups and their funding requests are treated by FiCom. The way I see it, Hampshire musicians contribute to the student body through independent, non-academic projects all the time, for free (no previous VIBE show has ever needed funding for a Hampshire band: just for the monitoring costs of Public Safety). They have not asked for economic support from the Hampshire community for such projects until now, and I feel that we at least owe them that."
 * JSU request to approve additional funds. All except #6 below were approved (asking that #5 be designated as Sukkot, #6 as Shabbat), which comes out to $346.66

2)Big Y receipt for Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur 9/18/09 - $112.10 3)Receipt from Fresh Side on 10/7/09 for food for “Sushi in the Sukkah” - $74.28 4)Receipt from Big Y on 10/07/09for food for “Sushi in the Sukkah” - $91.25 5)Stop and Shop receipt 10/1/09 for Sukkot and 10/2 Shabbat dinner - $69.03 6)Atkins receipt 10/1/09 for Sukkot and 10/2 Shabbat dinner – 65.77


 * Climbers Coalition update:

"Due to previous miscommunications regarding Climbers' Coalition trip approval and reimbursement I want to inform you of our Gunks Trip proceedings this past weekend (10/17-10/18).

Due to inclement weather we went to the Gunks in New Paltz, NY for a day trip on Saturday only, not both days as planned. Sunday, the rainy day, we brought 7 students to the Western Mass Vertical Training Center in Northampton for an afternoon of indoor bouldering.

I wanted to inform you of this as it is not in our approved funding. I hope you can recognize the necessary spontaneity resulting from variable weather. Total expenses from both the Gunks and the WMVTC trips are less than total approved funding for the weekend Gunks trip."


 * Come to COCA meeting with SAF presentation?
 * Community Health Collaborative fund transfers

Check-ins:


 * Hot Chocolate and Pie Social
 * Madeleine and Jackie will plan it, reportback next Monday. Call Doug!
 * By-laws and SAF Guidelines Task Force
 * Dillon will post a doodle poll for an initial meeting. Initial meeting will just be Council and subcommittee members, figure out how to engage with signers.
 * Wills and Mida will set up an art contest for hoodie design, reportback next Monday

Minutes


 * HIP: semester funding
 * to fund a gallery show, you have to fund the artwork. want to have more student-run gallery shows, and for everyone to celebrate the arts
 * independent projects are not things that we let other groups do
 * the school has no way to fund students who pursue expensive arts projects. it's community-building, gives the students a way to appreciate art projects
 * Approved: $5000
 * VIBE: private lessons
 * Denied
 * {Equestrian Team]]: coaching fees
 * Approved: $600
 * Sexperts: additional supplies for Halloween
 * COCA is funding all Halloween activities, go see them
 * BAAB: screening request
 * Denied: this violates copyright laws
 * Counselor Advocates: shirts
 * Denied: resubmit as equipment with additional information
 * HCEMS: paperwork
 * Approved: $90
 * Hampshire Mural Collective: Billboard rental
 * Pending: given our budgetary situation and the off-campus nature of the project we would like you to come in a talk to us about this
 * SMIFF: subscription to software
 * Pending: come in, do you have an advisor? do you have the money yet?
 * DIY: amber dropper bottles
 * Approved: $125
 * Sexperts: conference
 * Approved: $354 plus van mileage (we need to calculate this)
 * Climax: 3rd issue
 * Approved: $631 (you actually requested $757,200....)
 * Sisters: additional food request
 * Approved: $400 (4 meetings)
 * Crazy Pitches: fund transfer
 * Pending: more details
 * JSU: still confusing
 * $346 but only have $288 (numbers are still off)
 * meeting on Wednesday
 * COCA
 * max they give to any artist is $500
 * From now on, do not approve your own equipment. Any purchases for COCA, even if it is coming out of already-approved budgets, need to be specifically approved by FiCom. Be sure to list this equipment in your inventory and make it available for other student groups to use for their events. Please put a system into place for doing so.
 * Daniel motions to extend meetings on Wednesday from 6-7 to 5-7
 * motion passes

Attendance&lt;u/&gt; Mida, Dan, Jackie, DeeDee, Ananda, Madeleine, James, Dillon &lt;u&gt; Excused &lt;u/&gt; Luke

October 25
FiCom Meeting Sunday 10/25 5:05PM

To discuss P-Card applications

Present: Daniel Eareckson, Dillon Compton, Julia Mattes

Reviewing emails from FiCom members unable to make it

Mida

-nature of purchases

-meeting food

-subcommittees?

Deedee

-SOURCE groups

-meeting food

Ananda

-No Pcard to groups that have had trouble with funding; new system

-Will still have to fill out PO's

-Greenhouse?

- QCA

- questionable spending

-Low # of groups – can give more out later

Reviewing P-card applications

Gin &amp; Tonics

use Marie for buying uniforms if you can't afford to front

food purchases

SafeCom

It is already signer's responsibility to keep track of funding

BAAB

It is already signer's responsibility to keep track of funding

Still have to submit PO's

Greenhouse

HCEMS

Hampshire Animal Behavior

Connoisseurs of Cheesey Commestibles

The Knitting and Crafting Group

Excalibur

Spend tons of money

CYL

CoCA denied funding for Artsplosion

Shake and Bake

Still have to submit PO's

Can actually get a PO for Atkins

Natural Disaster Club

There is still paperwork

Mixed Nuts

Have they spent much this semester?

Student account as a business account? Is this okay?

Purchase regularly through Marie's P-card and tie up funds

Purchases don't go through FiCom

JSU

QCA

There is still paperwork

Can't fund the “weekly screenings”, which they have never asked for money for

Never requested a screening license

Magic Draft

Recommended to receive a P-card:

FiCom

CoCA

COCD

SafeCom

HCEMS

Excalibur

Magic Draft

Connoisseurs of Cheesy Comestibles

October 21
Agenda:

Requests:


 * SMIFF
 * pending CYL
 * Zoho (Misc, Trip, Equipment, Food, Fund Transfer)
 * JSU

Other topics:


 * SAF Guidelines (+777, +Social Advocacy Centers)
 * Intergroup dialogue meeting with Jaime on Thursday, 5pm, open to invites
 * HIP: http://creator.zoho.com/hampshire.ind.productions/funding-application/#View:Fall_2009_View
 * PCard Requests
 * Council Informational Presentation and Signer Contract
 * Dates for info meetings: Next week, Oct 26 @ 7pm, Oct 28 @ 8pm (or should one be on Tues, Oct 27 @ 6pm?)

Minutes:


 * Equestrian Team: came in to talk about semester expenses (shows and coach fees)
 * she will submit additional requests on Hampedia
 * Approved: $1400 for horse show practices
 * SMIFF: are on our frozen student groups account
 * Ananda will contact them and check-up
 * CYL: additional food previously pending
 * Approved: $140
 * VIBE: private music lessons
 * Denied: we cannot fund individual students
 * Climbers Coalition: submitted 2 receipts for Farley's Ledge
 * we will only fund one because they only requested one
 * Climbers Coalition: trip to Mexico
 * Pending: will this pass risk assessment with the CLA?
 * How was this advertised?
 * 2 weeks of this is not during school days
 * Climbers Coalition: trad rack pieces
 * Pending: we are figuring out our financial situation. Why was this not part of the initial trad rack request?
 * Fencing: Big One Tournament
 * Approved: $125
 * Mixed Nuts: harddrive
 * Approved: $85
 * Magic Draft: new Magic Cards
 * Approved: $420
 * HCEMS: medical supplies
 * Approved: $395
 * SafeCom: office supplies
 * Approved: $47
 * SafeCom: posters
 * Approved: $10
 * HCEMS: additional food
 * Approved: $150
 * Excalibur: additional food
 * this is not during meal time (8pm-12am)
 * they are requesting a little over $3 per person
 * Approved: $800 please note that FiCom is reexamining food funding and may not be able to sustain this level of funding. Please talk to someone from FiCom for more details.
 * JSU: fund transfer
 * Pending: come in and meet with a FiCom officer to go over details for dinners
 * Approved: $980

Present money in account:

1,268 general

630 food

Purchases by Rabbi Steve Nathan:

10/8 Rosh Hashanah Dinner: 510 (plus past 470) = 980 approved, catering cost 1155

9/18 Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur bakery 45.98 = COCA approved yom kippur 195, rosh hashanah lunch 135

9/18 Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur big y 112.10

10/7 Sushi in Sukkah fresh side 74.28 = COCA approved for 505

10/7 Sushi in Sukkah Big Y 91.25 10/1 Sukkot and 10/2 for Shabbat stopnshop 69.03 = No approvals logged by COCA or FiCom

10/1 Sukkot and 10/2 for Shabbat atkins 65.77

Equipment 9/9 297.18 = No approvals logged by COCA or FiCom


 * HIP: have their zoho site up
 * Please make sure this is not funding anything that will be part of a divisional portfolio, especially division III. FiCom is discussing a system for reviewing the purchases
 * This entire system is being called into question; SAF money is not to be used for individual academic projects. We turned down VIBE's request for $600 to pay an instructor to give one-on-one music lessons, so why are we funding these projects?
 * 14000 for year or semester? 20 people have applied for funds
 * we can't lead them on and give them no money, should there be a cap per individual?
 * we will be funding them, as we already said we would, but the amount is in question
 * please come meet with us to talk about this. we will set up a time that works for all your signers
 * PCard applications: we have 15 applications
 * we will meet before Monday to go over this

Ananda is drafting an email to all signers. To be included:


 * clarifying statement about open/closed groups
 * in email, state that need ALL trip requests by end of the month (trips up through end of janterm)
 * Reminder- will be meeting at end of december, will NOT be meeting during janterm, please submit all janterm requests (and beginning of feb) by X date
 * 10% tip policy
 * itemized receipts
 * legal address on file

&lt;u&gt;Attendance Mida, Julia, Madeleine, Jackie, DeeDee, Ananda, Dan, Dillon, Luke

Absent Wills

October 19
Agenda:


 * Pending Approval: Sexperts


 * Approvals
 * Council info session: http://www.doodle.com/a949vtswctdf8ckw . It may be as early as Thursday, so be prepared!
 * Constructive policing- please check against spreadsheet I sent out, and begin tracking totals

Pam Reportback:


 * move to zoho for joint recognition
 * Since groups don't have to reapply for recognition, we need to create an information update form (re open/closed)
 * pcard info session, have during lunch? Want to have staff member there
 * Pam will send info to me re pcard training
 * By the end of the day tomorrow (Friday), she will send me the CLA delineation of roles


 * Reportback re Endowment?

Minutes:

Sexperts: $220 for flyers and handouts (previously pending)


 * Approved

Excalibur: Arisia: need an additional $1900 due to error on hotel website ($123 per room vs. $123 per room per night)


 * Approved

Dandelion Den: $160 for Four books about Herbalism for the Dandelion Den


 * Denied: too pricey, submitted in the wrong place

Natural Disaster Club: pending trip to NYC (came in to discuss)


 * Lodging was overestimated: now $250 instead of $450 (still for two rooms)
 * one room would be $150
 * Approved for $374 ($164 gas, $60 admission, $150 lodging)

UMOJA came in, concerned about meeting food

Excalibur: $167 for dice. Lots of dice.


 * Approved

HCEMS: $19 for faster shipping for headlamps


 * Approved

HCEMS: $67 for additional reimbursement for Letter to the Community


 * Approved

UMOJA: Trip for “Good Hair” screening in Springfield (joint with SISTERS)


 * Approved

Climbers Coalition: JanTerm climbing trip


 * Tabled due to RFP issues

HCEMS: $126 for two-way radios


 * Approved

DIY Collective: $471 for bottles and jars


 * Pending until Hampedia update

Dandelion Den: $50 for jars and Ziploc bags to hold herbs


 * Approved

Community Garden: $50 for bulbs


 * Approved

Hampshire College Space Program: $138 for 18 Ben Bova books


 * Denied: There are many Ben Bova books available in the five college library system. Start with those.

Climbers Coalition: $190 for Black Diamond Rack Additions


 * Tabled due to RFP issues

HCEMS: $27 for batteries


 * Approved, but no further requests will be approved until inventory is online

SISTERS: $685 for “My Nappy Roots” Screening and Discussion


 * Approved for $660: cut back on adverts

UMOJA: Additional food


 * Approved for $623: reimbursements and $400 for four meetings

CYL: Additional food


 * Pending: update Hampedia page

Other items on the agenda:


 * SAF Informational Meetings: we need FiCom representation at both of these meetings (but not necessarily from everyone)
 * Constructive Policing: remember to add totals from meetings; review groups on Frozen Student Group Accounts
 * Ananda met with Pam
 * discussed group recognition on Zoho (Pam approves for next year, maybe not for spring)
 * PCard informational sessions: want it during lunch
 * Ananda is working on scanning old FiCom documents describing funding history
 * Dillon met with Peter (COCA Financial Director]]
 * COCA has about $10k in pending requests, we can expect them to come in for an additional $5-10k
 * We are in a reasonable but tight state for funding: after COCA $10k is approved, we have about $18-20k to work with (not including today’s requests)
 * Confident that we will make $6k from Halloween tickets
 * CRB case is tomorrow

Older issues:


 * Signer hoodies? Signer appreciation event?
 * Community Council wants to have a brunch for all signers, to honor certain signers, at the end of the spring semester
 * do we have money for hoodies?
 * Wills and Mida will set up an art contest for hoodie design, reportback next Monday

Excalibur: fund transfer for $350 from meeting to events for Deathfest


 * Approved


 * Hot Chocolate and Pie Social
 * Madeleine and Jackie will plan it, reportback next Monday. Call Doug!
 * By-laws and SAF Guidelines Task Force
 * Dillon will post a doodle poll for an initial meeting. Initial meeting will just be Council and subcommittee members, figure out how to engage with signers.
 * FiCom Officer Stipends?
 * caveat, at the end of the semester, decide whether or not individuals should be paid
 * how many hours per week spent doing FiCom work?

Attendance: Ananda, Dillon, Luke, Mida, DeeDee, Jackie, Julia, Daniel, Madeleine Late: James, Wills

October 14
Agenda:


 * Review Pending CA and Mural Collective requests for food
 * SPICI- trip request - "However, because

it took so long for FiCom to come to a decision, transportation prices have gone up. It now appears to cost 144 per student for round trip plane ticket, and 255 (total) each way for transportation to the airport. This comes to a total of $1374 of requested funding. Originally, we had requested $150/person (for a total of $900) when airline tickets were much less. How should we handle this increase in requested funds? " FiCom made decision on 28 Sept, SPICI did not go see Marie until 13 Oct


 * Will follow up with Pam re groups lacking signers/otherwise unrecognised. For now, please note in "frozen accounts" page which groups you could not contact/lack signers
 * For example, Emogination
 * Baldwin Scholars- DeeDee and two guests
 * Hampfest tables and chairs ($1,087)
 * Review Marie's notes. Input?
 * pcard- can group in charge of that make a form online, and deadline for groups to submit requests to be in test group be by our Monday meeting?
 * Interested groups: Greenhouse, Omen, Knitting and Crafting Group
 * Council event: Ananda will set up Doodle poll tonight, it will be next week. Will hav draft of presentation for your review, by Saturday night
 * Other permanent charges: In fiscal year 2009 $430.04 was spent on water for the APL. So far this fiscal year 2010 $52.67 was spent.
 * Endowment has $287,485.00, need to follow up on interest

Minutes:


 * Counselor Advocates: meeting food
 * Approved: $112
 * Mural Collective: meeting food
 * Approved: $160
 * SPICI: airfare increased since they asked for funds
 * Approved: $1374 (including $900 they already have) (we should have sent them an email, they should have checked in with us earlier. need clearer instructions for signers in the future)
 * Counselor Advocates: phone service
 * Approved: $300
 * National Disaster Club: trip to NYC to see a show
 * Pending: Please come talk about the details of this trip
 * Excalibur: RPG Books
 * Denied: please resubmit with an itemize proposal and look for local copies
 * Tennis Team: tennis balls
 * Approved: $70
 * COCA: meeting food
 * Approved: $360 ($40 once a week and the meetings leading up to Halloween)
 * Magic Draft: meeting food
 * Approved: $160
 * HIP: meeting food
 * Approved: $120
 * Tennis Team: meeting food
 * Approved: $263 (143 to get you out of the red and 120 for the next month)
 * PASA: meeting food
 * Approved: $400 (for a month of meeting)
 * Approved $1087 for Hampfest tables and chairs, pending CC money Tues
 * Follow up with group that came in re anti-racism training (Ananda will do this)


 * Check with COCA about follow-up on funding requests
 * $20,000 of the $45,000 from 601 to COCA for Hampshire Halloween (777)
 * ticket sales will go into 601
 * COCA is $1,490 in the red and would like another $15,000
 * Dillon will meet with Peter once a week to talk about the finances
 * We will transfer $10,000 to COCA (hopefully) after the Council meeting on Tuesday. In the future, please come in to us BEFORE you start turning down requests. You are encouraged to continue to come back and request more money, as needed.
 * Ananda will follow up with Pam about signers for groups without signers
 * James Baldwin Scholars and SOURCE brunch: DeeDee, Mida and Ananda will attend
 * P-card application form will go up tomorrow and Ananda will post on the Daily Digest
 * Doodle poll for council listserv and signers of subcommittees
 * Water for the airport lounge is payed for Ficom (Why do we support bottled water? Get water fountain/refill jugs?)
 * Hampedia updates and frozen accounts: we should have referenced signer seminar

Attendance Mida, Dillon, Luke, Madeleine, Dan, Julia, Jackie, DeeDee, James, Ananda, Wills&lt;/u&gt;

October 10

 * On this date, FiCom held a five-hour retreat. You can find full documentation here: FiCom October 2009 Retreat

Summary of decisions made:


 * A task force will be assembled to to get input from community about the SAF guidelines, and to examine the SAF guidelines and how they inform FiCom decisions
 * starting in the Spring, student groups will be able to self-identify as open or closed groups. All groups will be expected to give a specific plan for how they intend to engage with the greater Hampshire community.
 * Each FiCom member will act as a liaison to a subset of student groups, keeping them accountable and helping them out. Their first duty is to ensure that all student groups have all their information posted to Hampedia, to improve transparency. Since signers were informed that they had to do this during Signer Sem, this is not a new policy.
 * Policy is being put in place to allow student groups to have their own pcard (like a debit card), so that students do not need to front money for purchases. FiCom is looking for a small subset to be a test group this semester. If your group is interested, please email FiCom.
 * Due to past misuse of SAF funds, all Community Council members will be expected to attend an SAF informational meeting and sign a contract similar to the signer contract.

October 7
Minutes:


 * Language: Food for meetings.
 * Approved for $100
 * Excalibur: Food for meetings.
 * Skipped pending budget check after recent transfer
 * Local Foods Initiative: Food for meetings.
 * Approved for $320
 * Hampshire Mural Collective: Food for meetings.
 * Pending, update your Hampedia page.
 * Climbers Coalition: Fixe Climbing Bolts.
 * Approved for $218
 * HCEMS: Beanies, stickers, hats.
 * Denied pending concerns over lack of itemization and re-use of items.
 * Zap!: A/B USB Cables
 * Approved for $60
 * Climbers Coalition: Trips for 10/17, 10/24.
 * Denied - trips on the same date already approved.
 * Excalibur: Arisia 2010 trip
 * Approved for $3827
 * Hampedia: Backup batteries
 * Approved for $251
 * Climbers Coalition: Food for meetings.
 * Approved for $49.


 * Discussed state of budget:
 * Presently, after funding Hampshire Halloween ($45k), we will have essentially no money in 601. This is because about 100k out of our total budget for the semester (which is about 200k) went to permanent funding before we could give out any funds. Since we have about $150k in permanent funding for the entire year, we have $25k less than we should have for this semester
 * Permanent funding items:
 * PVTA Fare Free Bus Fee ($14,000)
 * FiCom Office Assistant - 2009's Salary &amp; Benefits ($34,678)

Half of these amounts are paid at the start of each semester...


 * UMass Fine Arts Center Performing Arts Fee ($8,600)
 * Student Activities Program Subsidy @ 3.5% of SAF ($16,000)
 * Residential Life Programs ($36,000)
 * AAP – Social Advocacy Centers ($24,000)
 * 1/4 each goes to Cultural Center, QCA, Center for Feminisms, and Spiritual Life Center
 * 21,710.71 approved, to be transferred from contingency fund to SAF.
 * Asked Community Council for bottom 20,000 of contingency fund, for the rest of the semester

Attendance:

Julia, Dillon, Daniel, Madaline, James, Luke, Ananda

Excused Absences: Zilong, Jackie, Mida, DeeDee

October 5
Agenda:


 * Disciplinary Issue Vote: Do we want to revisit the question of making the information public?
 * Following up with Dawn re missing $20k from "STU DEV PROG" account, which Stephen Pereira used as an account for emergency funds, and as a way to hold onto leftover parts of his operational budget, isnce it rolls over, unlike his budget. Want to see information on transfers into and out of this account, to ensure that it was all Student Services money, and did not come from the SAF.
 * CA's followed up re additional food request: "We have been spending higher amounts per meeting because we have a member of our group with medically necessary dietary restrictions, which rule out some cheaper prepared food options, such as pizza. When we order food that we can all eat, it costs more money. We will try to balance this spending in the upcoming month by cooking some of our meals from scratch. Please let me know if you have any other suggestions for addressing this issue."
 * Trip request from non-student-group
 * FiCom Retreat: http://www.doodle.com/t99ea6deqbwhw7b7
 * May someone go through and automatically deny incorrectly placed funding requests, and notify groups (IE food requests in wrong place, etc) outside of meeting time?

Pam reportback:


 * Hampshire Halloween:
 * each student will get 3 tickets, cost $10
 * each of the other schools will get 150 tickets
 * submitting requests for budgets in the red
 * follow up with BO about problems with this
 * CLA doesn't want to process un-approved RFPs
 * email ok for work log to marie
 * Reason for only two POs
 * need to get back receipts
 * wants an exact list of people having problems with this rule
 * with new pcard system, could have PO system be the same, which will have different system of ensuring that students turn in receipts on time
 * asked for report on 3.5% at end of semester, she will provide it to us. Her understanding was that it was for CLA to fund events
 * discussed SAF guidelines re academic projects (unhappiness from several quarters) - her understanding is same as FiCom
 * Magic Board- they will only charge $20 tops, for a month, but can have an add up for more than 4 days
 * duplications- student groups shouldn't have to remember 9-digit account number. they have been provided with the full list of account #s and asked to ask students to show their ID in order to charge student accounts
 * pcard
 * travel: uncomfortable with having that charged to pcards, worried about Boston conferences
 * Performers tie in to contract requests and ERFs, charge pcards in CLA, so that should not be something that can be charged on the pcard
 * we will move forward with test student groups this semester
 * discussed having some sort of contract that must be signed on to, have it be something that student groups have to come in and request

Minutes:

Ananda reported back

Note for FiCom retreat – talk about closed group funding – CA's will remain on pending

Trip to DC for protest – discussion of whether FiCom can fund non-student groups

3345$ request // students from this trip came in (approx 15 students)

-larger issue about having exceptions be the rule with regards to the bylaws and guidelines-

FiCom retreat Saturday 4-9pm on Saturday the 10th

priorities for student input:

Ananda will go through incorrectly filed forms, groups will be advised to refile on the proper form

Madeline and James have been officially made non-voting members of FiCom

Transfers

omen to computing capital for 1494$

JSU to Rabbi Steve Nathan? Email to COCA, JSU, CLA asking where money is, and where it needs to go, and how to transfer this money

Funding Requests

Food:

FISH – no updated hampedia page, request tabled until the FiCom retreat discussion on closed groups, NY trip. Is this trip closed?

INFINITY – not meeting during mealtime, relevant? Access to food due to meeting? Will be given 200$ for one month and FiCom will visit this issue on Saturday

Circus – 1745$ zorb balls, 460$ Equilibristics Equipment, 140$ facepainting ext., 82$ circus toys

HCSpaceProgram – uniforms denied, gaming mice 100$ approved

Hampedia Project – backup battery units approved pending updated hampedia 250.67$, denied RAID drives, approved 121$ reimbursement for postcards

CA's – shirts denied with encouragement to resubmit cheaper shirts

Community Garden – approved 40$ garlic

Climber's Coalition – approved 350$ for shoes, NoHo athletic club trips approved (make sure to advertise, punch-card question), GUNKS trip approved

Blacksmith's guild – approved 774$ sturbridge village trip

Greenhouse – denied equipment resubmit a more itemized request and verify that this is not divisional work that has been cleared by the college planning authorities

HCEMS - pizza denied, magnets approved 145$,

Excalibur – approved 25$ for cleaning supplies

COCD - approved for initial funding amount of 20k$ and we will encourage them to come in to re-evaluate our funding procedures with them.

September 30
Minutes:


 * HIP
 * Came in, we discussed having them move to Zoho to process funding applications, to improve transparency and accountability
 * Latin America/Latin@/Legal Studies Group: Trip to Hunduras for Oct 3. to conference
 * Denied: not enough time to really process
 * Shake and Bake: additional food funding
 * Approved: $240 (8 meetings)
 * Climbers Coalition: additional food funding
 * Pending: please go into Marie and figure out what happened with all your food money
 * New Leaf: additional food funding
 * Approved: $120 get back to us when you need more
 * HCEMS: more supplies
 * Approved: $725
 * Climbers Coalition: Bolts
 * Pending review of new request
 * The Omen: printing costs
 * Approved: $3150
 * Metalheads Machining:tranfer for lathe never happened
 * Approved: we will write that transfer for $1500, please let us know about storage space
 * We will have a circa 5-hour retreat in order to have time to properly discuss some of the topics in our TO-DOs, next week

Attendance:

Mida, Zilong Wang, James, Dillon, Madaline, Dan, Ananda, Luke, Wills

Absent (both excused) :

Jackie, DeeDee

September 28
Agenda:


 * HIP
 * CRB report
 * PCards for student groups
 * Collecting donations
 * Reportback from meeting wth Pam:
 * They had the first Halloween planning meeting, trying to figure out logistics of having tickets for 5 College students
 * Want to encourage collaboration, change COCA event form so that there is space for all the groups to collaborate. Could send an email to the contact signer for each group, expectation that they all meet together to coordinate it.
 * Need to update fund transfer forms
 * CLA needs money to print forms at duplications: $120
 * Only get two POs at a time, so that need to bring in receipts
 * Need to give FiCom more food money!

Minutes:


 * Re-Rad: Magic Board
 * Approved: $40
 * Climbers Coalition: various day trips
 * Approved:
 * SPICI:trip to J Street Conference in DC
 * Approved: $900
 * Climbers Coalition: one day trip to Gunks, NY
 * Denied: you have already made a trip request for that weekend
 * Mythos: NERF darts
 * Approved: $65
 * Mythos: foam blades
 * Approved: $325
 * Omen:Garden Gnome
 * Pending: we would like you to look locally for this gnome
 * HCEMS: Sirens and flashing lights for the bikes
 * Approved: $250
 * HCEMS: headlamps
 * Approved: $132
 * HCEMS: disposable equipment
 * Approved: $255
 * Climbers Coalition: climbing book
 * Approved: $19 must be registered with the library
 * HCEMS: a letter
 * Approved: $48
 * Climbers Coalition: Chalk Pot
 * Approved: $30
 * Climbers Coalition: Shoe Box
 * Pending: isn't that expensive
 * Climbers Coalition: Climbing shoes
 * Pending: Please itemize
 * OMEN: Publications
 * Pending: how many? for how many publications?
 * Cheese Club: two weeks of meeting food ($65 x 2)
 * Approved: $130
 * Re-Rad: additional meeting food
 * Approved: $600 (5 meetings)
 * Counselor Advocates:additional food funding
 * Pending: please update your Hampedia page ($100)
 * James Baldwin Scholars additional food funding
 * Approved: $100
 * Puzzlin' for Piece: additional food funding
 * You already have $120 for food, but please update your Hampedia page
 * Counselor Advocates: funding request for meeting food to Community Health
 * Approved: $150.84
 * Hampedia: funding transfer for postcards
 * Denied: please submit a funding request
 * FiCom: $240 for meeting food and $150 office redecoration
 * Approved
 * CLA:Forms -we will pay for them this semester, but it seems like something that should be covered in the budget we give at the beginning of the semester
 * Community Council: $4000 initial budget as stated in bylaws
 * Approved
 * HIP:Please come in to our meeting because we want to talk to you about using online forms for your proposals so that there is more transparency
 * Pending: $14,000
 * CRB Report
 * Officially approved. Will be submitted to Council, CRB, and Hampshire community this week
 * Marie processes POs, then RFPs. this is problematic

Attendance

Mida, Luke, Jackie, Dan, Madaline, James, DeeDee, Ananda, Wills (late: at work), Dillon

September 23rd
Agenda:


 * Quick random items from emails
 * Welcome to possible new members
 * Old requests from formsite
 * funding requests
 * Some items from TO-DOs
 * CRB report (if time permits)

Minutes:


 * HIP: came in to talk about funding policies
 * We will talk about this on Monday, not enough time today
 * James Baldwin Scholars: Trip to NYC
 * Pending: We do not fund food for trips. We also would like more details about the travel in NYC
 * Comics Collective: Trip to Small Press Expo
 * Pending: $500 need to meet with Pam for trip assessment
 * The Greenhouse:Monthly Publication
 * Approved: $240 enough for two months, let us know how it goes and get back to us for more funding
 * Climbers Coalition: 10 trips to various locations
 * Pending: we need estimated dates and mileage
 * Climbers Coalition: October break to NH and ME
 * Pending: Meet with Pam because it is over 250 miles ($312)
 * Climbers Coalition: Book
 * Approved: $16 where are you going to store it?
 * Climbers Coalition: Trad Rack
 * Approved: $1279
 * Climbers Coalition: Climbing rope
 * Approved: $291 We want you to have a more detailed inventory, no more money until then!!
 * Climbers Coalition: Expansion bolts
 * Pending: Come on in! we want to know more, and it seems like they are out of stock...
 * Climbers Coalition: Chalk
 * Approved: $160


 * If you are interested in going to a meeting about the future of the Greenhouse Mod, sign up here: http://www.doodle.com/3tdip3pn5q8ih4mn
 * Contingency has $41,710.71
 * Should it have more? Dillon will check
 * Ananda will talk to Marie about doing Fund Transfers electronically
 * Tabling COCD's account being in the red
 * Hampedia conference being paid for out of 601
 * note: she should only be doing 50% of airfare and admissions

Attendance:

Mida, Luke, Dan, Ananda, Dillon, Jackie, Madeleine Hahn, James Lantz, Jorge Cruz

Excused:

DeeDee

September 21st
Agenda:


 * Reportback from meeting with Pam
 * signers who did not attend Signer Sem: this upcoming week, they must attend a meeting with Marie to go over the info. In addition, their group will be on probation, meaning that hteir funding requests will receive much greater scrutiny
 * FiCom funds Signer Sem, and tables and chairs from Hampfest
 * 5 College Halloween tickets:
 * Alex Torpey promised that money without the authority to do so. So, they returned the $3000 from the Five Colleges.
 * Needs a system of accountability for 5 college students, agreement with Student Life at other colleges, sign contract and have contact info
 * Undertsanding of how balance would change between 5colege and hamp students, what the max # of students should be
 * compare ceiling to actual # of students who come to Halloween, possible extra students
 * System for early fall funding OKs - submit them in Spring, have them specially set aside for fall
 * Will review Marie's worklog proposal, and finalize it at next week's meeting
 * Pam will be paying for 3k event out of her pocket
 * CRB submission
 * Wednesday meeting being advertised to new FiCom members

Minutes:


 * Ananda will work on CRB report for Wednesday
 * Mida will poster for FiCom meeting on Wednesday

Requests:


 * HIP:funding for semester art projects
 * Pending: invited to come into to our meeting to talk about an accountability system
 * Perhaps set up a system similar to COCA? Where they check in periodically?
 * Mythos:nerf guns ($155)
 * Pending: update inventory on Hampedia, do they have a good storage space?
 * Yurt: advertising
 * Approved: $20 for postering, if they have other advertising plans let us know
 * Pending: $50 key safe- pending filling out Hampedia page
 * Pending: $300 AM Transmitter and base- fill out Hampedia page
 * ContraDance: please resubmit using the Trip form
 * FiCom decided to give all groups $10 for duplications costs
 * Approved
 * Jackie attended her third FiCom meeting today
 * Voted: Jackie is an official member of FiCom
 * Omen: computer
 * Approved:$1500
 * Climax: printing second issue
 * Approved: $631
 * Climbers Coalition: additional food funding
 * Approved:$250 (4meetings*$50per meetings and $50 for breakfasts) this should be enough for one month, let us know in two weeks if that is working for you
 * Excalibur: meeting food for Deathfest Planning meetings
 * Approved: $420
 * COCA: Halloween funding
 * Superhero program- where did the sashes go? sashes were reason for $450. Student Services should still have them
 * Live music- why is it still the same price?
 * All Halloween ticket revenue must go back into 601, not COCA account
 * Can they begin calling people and getting quotes now?
 * $45,000 budget for the event and it must include HCEMS
 * Storage system
 * Possibility of having lockers in RCC, but would require purchase of new lockers (3-5 thousand dollar investment)
 * Met with COCD
 * Can we be funding things used by students at the Farm? Encouraged to work with students, ensuring that purchases are student-initiated and organized
 * Have COCD fund more student-initiated projects


 * We are starting up a separate account for Hampshire Halloween and Spring Jam. FiCom is the only body that can transfer money into the account. COCA is the only body that can spend money in the account. FiCom is the only body that can transfer money out of the account, and has the authority to transfer out all leftover money after each event has been fully paid for.

Attendance Mida, Luke, Dan, Ananda, Wills, Dillon, DeeDee, Jackie

September 16th
Agenda:


 * Some numbers:
 * How much FiCom gave out, 08-09: $432,948.44
 * How much received from SAF payments in Fall 2008: $468,600.00
 * Final Balance from #601 SAF in Spring 2009: $21,518.95
 * First order of business for Wed: Red Scare trips
 * Draft of disciplinary issue report due by Wed 9th, Final due Mon 14th, vote to approve it and forward it to CRB, Dean of Students, and CC
 * Distribute official FiCom report to greater Hampshire community? We need to decide whether or not it should be confidential
 * Food funding!
 * Submit fund transfers from Monday's approvals
 * Cross-reference Signer Sem list, find inconsistencies (non-attending Signers and attendant problems)
 * Ananda will check with CLA and Marie
 * Zoho- can we purchase the account now? CC wants in as well (See notes below)
 * Red Scare: Bishop's University Frisbee Tournament
 * Approved: $1420
 * Red Scare:Get Ho Ho Ho Tournament$
 * Approved:$459.00
 * Red Scare:Greenfield Tournament
 * Approved: $277
 * Red Scare:Green Mountain Frisbee Tournament
 * Approved:$589.00
 * Red Scare:Montreal Tournament
 * Approved:$2,154.00 pending risk meeting with Pam.
 * Climbers Coalition:Western Mass Rendezvous
 * Approved:$247.00 Please purchase tickets in advance over Paypal through Marie in CLA!
 * Polyglot Society new name for Esperanto-klubo: Aŭtuna Renkontiĝo de Esperanto (ARE)
 * Approved:$447.00
 * Community Garden:shed building
 * Pending: Do you have permission from the director of Campus Planning and Development to build the shed? Have you secured any building permits required? In addition, please update your Hampedia page, including the inventory section. Once you have done all of this, we will review your request. Having a better understanding of why Proposal 1 is better would also be great!
 * The Climax:Climax Publication
 * Approved:$631.00 Did you mean to submit two separate funding requests?
 * Crazy Pitches: Additional food funding
 * Approved: $200 Please ensure that your Hampedia page gets updated once you have decided upon meeting times and place. We have approved you for an additional $200 (above the $120 you already have in your account). Feel free to submit another form when you need more food funding.
 * Additional Food Funding: $120 for all groups who requested it
 * Approved


 * Disciplinary Report: Mida and Dillon will do grammatical changes and get it back to FiCom on Monday
 * We will post the short report to the daily digest
 * We will post the long report to Hampedia
 * Zoho account: year long subscription, FiCom email will be administrator
 * Approved


 * Question of funding closed meetings
 * In need of further discussion


 * Officer Positions:


 * Directing Co-Chair: Ananda Valenzuela
 * Financial Co-Chair: Dillon Compton
 * Office Manager: Mida McKenrick

(DeeDee abstained from voting)


 * Signer Sem was awesome, although end discussion could use some work, and two tables for food would free up the line
 * Hampfest in RCC was great, but table set up could use a lot of work, and sound system was too loud yet indistinguishable from back of room

Meeting with COCA


 * Hampshire Halloween preliminary budget
 * requesting $50k, don't think it will be more than last year ($43k). No headliner this year, more money for other student groups
 * Giving COCA $15k

September 14th

 * Ananda met with Pam and Wendy O
 * Debit cards ("declining balance" cards) for students
 * All three signers would have to sign off on receipt?
 * Only having money for individual purchases, system of checking purchases?
 * Two employees presently processing checks (of reimbursements, to students) could move over to working on processing debit card receipts, already OK'd
 * Marie can simply email Nancy with money transfers for debit cards
 * Does it automatically bounce if purchase is too high?
 * Can you have a stopgap, where it won't charge more than X amount of money to the card?
 * Punishment: if don't turn in receipt within 30 days, student account automatically charged
 * Should they sign a contract in order to use pcard?
 * Tabled until later
 * Circus Folk Unite: want to fly in a workshop host
 * COCA did not review thier request yet although they did submit it over 10days before event
 * the contract really needs 10 days
 * we sent them to the CLA to see if they can get a rushed contract
 * COCA Disciplinary issue: we reviewed the report and decided we are going to make it public
 * we will work on the form of that next meeting

Funding requests:


 * Zine Collective: protest conference in PA
 * Rejected: only 10 days before trip, not enough time
 * Knitting and Crafts: wool and knitting needles
 * Approved: $170
 * COCA: office supplies
 * Approved: $200
 * Magic Draft: Magic card
 * Approved: $350
 * HCEMS: new packs
 * Approved: $150

September 9th

 * The FiCom office looks beautiful, thanks to Mida's hard work
 * Student Activities Program Subsidy (3.5% of SAF) is given to CLA (circa $8000)
 * Signer Sem Presentation (Meet at 1030am, Saturday)
 * Change fund transfer system? Have any fund transfers go through FiCom. The only exception is when COCA transfers funds from the COCA account to student group accounts. New online form: Fund Transfer form
 * Email all signers re Signer Sem and preregistering!
 * Move to new form and budgeting system
 * Signer Sem ideas
 * Next semester: pair well-established groups with new groups
 * You have $500/$1000 to co-plan an event/activity, group that does the best job of combining their groups' strengths gets the money
 * Signer Sem Presentation
 * Updates, revisions to Powerpoint
 * Need to decide on confidentiality of disciplinary situation
 * If someone works in a public office, is it our responsibility to make it public? Should the person's name be made public?
 * According to the bylaws, the deliberations are private, but not the decision.
 * Submit report to Omen, Climax, and and Hampedia at a later date?
 * COCA Agenda
 * Signer Sem presentation. COCA will bring slides to Wed meeting
 * Bring in thoughts on ideal FiCom-COCA funding and budgeting procedures to Wed meeting
 * Budgeting for fall. How can we simplify the system while still staying accountable?
 * Re 3k, from Dawn: Pam told Dawn she was paying for the joint-COCA event out of her budget; if FiCom and COCA feel it is a misuse of SAF funds, they should not pay for it.
 * Have some sort of friendly get-to-know-you event with COCA, and with CC as a whole! =)
 * Hampshire Halloween
 * COCA
 * re 3k event, COCA will pay the $600 for food, Pam can pay the rest
 * Pam cannot ask student groups for money. Can field ideas with signers, asking them if they want to run events, and offering to help, but...
 * need to have joint FiCom and COCA and CLA meeting re relationship between the bodies
 * $4 per person per head, have a meeting food account
 * COCA tends to fund around $10k per month. Last fall spent $22k, in spring, $31k
 * Can begin with $10k, and check back in over time, as needs more money
 * Need to be careful about Council rules (telling them when transferring large amounts of money)
 * Next week, FiCom and COCA will meet with Pam re Halloween tickets
 * Event Director of COCA will be coming in to COCA office at 630pm on Tuesdays, to speak with students re Halloween events
 * emphasize need to go to COCA re Halloween events
 * Put all old forms into new system!
 * Budgeting with COCA
 * completely separate account for Halloween and Spring Jam
 * Projections for Halloween: can definitely be done for under $50,000
 * EMTs will be an additional expense
 * FiCom and COCA should table together at the RCC =)
 * Ananda meets with Pam Thursday at 1pm re Signer Sem, anyone is welcome to join
 * COCA is planning an awesome joint COCA-FiCom bonding event! Bowling, or laser tag?

September 7th
Agenda:


 * Approve request for Dillon to make duplications copies
 * Approve SAF Guidelines
 * Reportback from Dillon re new form system
 * Equipment
 * Reportback from Dan re Marie work logs
 * Signer Sem Presentation
 * Presentation must include:
 * funding info (SAF Guidelines)
 * forms
 * deadlines
 * where to get info: Hampedia-- SHOW THEM HOW TO USE IT
 * money takes time to be pulled out!! tips on keeping organized
 * history of Hampedia, why are we using this tool?
 * for breakout sessions, contact some seasoned signers
 * Meeting with COCA at 7pm

Meeting notes:


 * take SAF guidelines to Pam on Friday
 * send to Council, CC emily, with requests to agenda (ideally have it all in one, so several members can attend the meeting)
 * Unanimous vote to approve SAF Guidelines
 * Unanimous vote to approve funding request for Dillon to make copies of documents for official report
 * Equipment reportback tabled for Wednesday
 * Dillon will have all formsets up and ready for review, on the new system, by Wed
 * Ananda will work with CLA so they are aware of changes to the system
 * Work log report from Dan
 * Who came in (what group instead of exact name), when, what way did they contact her, what they asked, answer
 * Tasks she completed
 * Problems she encounters
 * Ananda will bring in the job description, so that the information can be put up on her Hampedia page, for full disclosure
 * Ananda will bring in this description to Pam
 * Disciplinary issue discussion
 * Problem: having all CC members sign a contract similar to the one that all signers sign. Is it too much?
 * It ensures that all members are held accountable, and are aware of SAF Guidelines
 * Contract, essentially: I agree to use SAF funds responsibly. I understand SAF Guidelines. I will follow SAF Guidelines.
 * COCA!!
 * COCA no longer keeps events under $1000. However it is still rare; there are probably four or five a year. They keep a closer eye on the large events, ensure there is lots of advertising, are well-attended, all COCA members attend the events, play a larger role in coordination and organization of them.
 * Added language about Theatrics to FiCom Funding Policies
 * Issue: bands who are willing to come for much less money if they can set up stands and sell merchandise. Clarified SAF GUideline wording (added "Student"), so that is not against SAF Guidelines.
 * Issue: there should be specific wording about budget changes. Funding policies changed
 * Issue: screening form. some vagueness
 * Form system: we will all be using Zoho together!
 * Signer Sem:
 * All event requests must be submitted 14 days in advance. WHy? If there is an issue, there will always be a meeting with COCA. Also, public safety needs to know ten days in advance.
 * Need to know about changes to keys, vans, and public safety
 * Monitors?
 * COCA will meet and make COCA slides by Wednesday
 * DON'T need to be a student group to apply to COCA. Go to Pam and get her help writing a budget request!
 * Blackout weekends for Halloween and Spring Jam
 * $3000 issue: approved that event was going to be a band, that there was going to be food, when it was. Band fell through, so Pam went and booked the band on her own. Understanding that it would be COCA-initiated, Pam would coordinate logistics, and finish up in the fall.
 * What do we do? $600 for food should definitely be funded by SAF, as that was clearly agreed upon by COCA. Need to write joint letter to Pam making it clear that this was misuse of funds, and that it cannot happen again. It seems that Pam misunderstood her role.
 * Informed COCA of disciplinary issue
 * Budgeting: how should money be given to COCA?
 * Problem: when 611 is low, they start having to take that into consideration when funding events
 * Thoughts from FiCom: COCA would be able to operate better if they had a clear $X limit to budget. However, on the other hand, COCA is not meant to be a budgeting body, FiCom is. Budgetary situation evolves over the course of the semester, difficult to portion out beforehand. COCA should never feel like it cannot ask for more money.
 * COCA needs a clear separation between Spring Jam/Halloween account and rest of COCA account. Separate accounts on Datatel?
 * Problem last semester: Spring Jam and Halloween need finite budgets, it's really stressful to have those numbers fluctuating
 * COCA will come up with proposal about how they would like to see budgeting happen, and explanation of how different systems would impact COCA's operations
 * Will meet again on Wednesday at 7pm
 * Ananda will make updates to Signer Sem presentation by Wed

September 6th
(5pm-8pm)


 * Possible move over to Zoho Form Creator (Presently using Formsite)
 * Costs less with more space, forms, and options
 * Intuitive Excel-like system makes it easy to use
 * Skips over need to have Marie enter things one by one
 * May be possible to auto-scrape data and have it automatically post to Hampedia
 * Need to figure out system before Signer Sem so that there is no signer confusion
 * Decision: let's move over to this electronic system, advantages are clear
 * How about Hampedia system? Information will only be added for posterity, with the goal to have an automatic updating system for next semester
 * Simply need to change link on right-hand student group box template
 * We need to meet with Dawn concerning Pam, and how she interacts with FiCom
 * is our office assistant actually working for FiCom? We no longer know how much of the work she does is for FiCom, she is not allowed to function autonomously
 * $3000 joint COCA-CLA event in first week of school
 * This does not seem to be student-initiated and student-planned
 * No mention of $3000 approval in COCA minutes on Hampedia, however there is mention of desire to have "cheap" band event in first week of school
 * Event apparently planned over the summer by Pam with no input or decision-making on part of COCA (unclear, as it devolves into a he-said she-said situation)
 * Pam has already booked the entire thing, using money out of her own budget, with the understanding that COCA was going to pay her back
 * Situation is very ambiguous and is mere days away
 * CLA has a mere $1100 budget, cannot afford to pay for the event themselves
 * Need to ensure that this does not occur again
 * Budget to COCA
 * Is COCA a budgeting organization? How much should they be concentrating on the bottom line?
 * Equipment: Will discuss on Monday
 * SAF Guidelines: Will vote to approve officially and submit to CC, on Monday
 * Ananda will email out draft
 * Hampedia improvements:
 * Student groups core: Signer resources bar should be the MAIN section, not to the side
 * Really difficult to find forms
 * Not clear that you go to FiCom to apply for funding
 * FiCom funding policies don't have numbers, are unclear
 * Signer contract terms are different from what FiCom tells people
 * Which are the unrecognised student groups?
 * How do we find out our budget? haven't figured out how that system should work!
 * "Add them" form should be called "Add Receipts" form, for better clarity
 * How much money is in my account? (Marie's weekly log)
 * Need to improve forms
 * FAQ
 * FiCom Funding Policies
 * Funding plane tickets: presently, we fund half of plane tickets. However. this is unfair for students who have limited financial resources. Revision: For any trip requests outside of 250 miles, signers will have to submit a funding request and meet with FiCom at least one month in advance. They will also have to meet with Pam in order to do a risk assessment, and meet with Marie in order to purchase the tickets. FiCom may pay full ticket price, but this will require more work on part of signers in order to make it happen.
 * Further revisions to wording (see doc)
 * In need of discussion with COCA:
 * "There is a cap of $1,000 total per event" was FiCom's funding policy for events. COCA's thoughts on this?
 * Where did the beer money go?
 * Send COCD that email!
 * Disciplinary Situation
 * Dillon and Luke worked 1-4pm today on draft of report
 * Intend to submit report to CC for review
 * Ananda will draft statement ("A formal detailed document will follow") to distribute to COCA, CC, and Dean of Students, for approval at tomorrow's meeting
 * Draft of report due by Wed 9th, Final due Mon 14th, vote to approve it and forward it to CRB, Dean of Students, and CC
 * Signer Sem Presentation
 * Seasoned signers paired with COCA/FiCom members
 * How do we group them? Unfortunately, at present the best solution appears to be by the groupings on Hampedia
 * Student group recognition
 * What criteria does Pam use to make decisions about recognition? Originally, was just supposed to be risk assessment. However, NSNS lists different criteria.
 * Send out PowerPoint to FiCom tonight, to be reviewed before tomorrow's meeting
 * Dan will draft list of what we'd like to see in Marie's work logs

September 4th
(6pm- 9pm)


 * COCA is not able to meet with us tonight
 * Food Funding Form: we will review these requests once every two weeks
 * CLA has planned an event for Wednesday for $3000 that was approved "somehow" by COCA in the spring using last years budget. We want to clarify the somehow before moving forward. The event does not meet SAF Guidelines because it was not initiated by students. We are questioning whether this event should be funded.
 * Add to Signer Sem: suggestion that groups go to FiCom before going to other offices
 * EMTs will be an additional public safety expense for Halloween

SAF Guideline Revisions: make a "How can I Spend my Money" document


 * 1/2 travel expense
 * food money calculations
 * why alcohol cannot be purchased (open and accessible to all students)
 * religious is ambiguous as is spiritual
 * want to have a bigger discussion on this (drug and alcohol task force, SafeCom)


 * we will hash out profit generation by student groups
 * note: Dillon wants us to explicitly define SAF (can money be absorbed into the SAF besides the initial collection)
 * Profits generating enterprises or projects whose profits all return to the student group account
 * Not allowed: Profits generating enterprises or projects whose profits go to individuals
 * question for COCA: where did the beer money go? was there a profit from the kegs
 * Redecorate office!!
 * what is Student Activities Officer and Subsidy?
 * COCD's initial budget: submit to coucil that we should not
 * Wes should pass this on to current COCD and they can resubmit with details
 * Discuss: equipment- permanent and not
 * Dee Dee will look into another schools equipment policies
 * Dillon, Luke and Mida will work on Sunday on the report about COCA issue

Attendance Mida, Dillon, Dee Dee, Luke, Dan, Ananda  Excused  Wills

September 3rd
(6pm-830pm)


 * We continued to discuss the disciplinary issue and made a discussion and will inform the necessary bodies.
 * Plan for the next few days:

Sept 4: 6pm on to talk about funding requests, SAF Guidelines and meeting with COCA-main topic is SAF Guidelines (at 7pm)

Sept 5: 5pm on to talk about funding requests (with dinner), make revisions to SAF Guidelines, using COCA's input

Sept 6: 5pm on to finish funding requests, finalize guidelines, have preliminary discussion re Signer Sem presentations


 * Signer seminar is in a week
 * breakout groups: need to capitalize on programming, as they are grouped by interest
 * contact niko re signer vid from last year
 * online preregistration!!
 * Presentation must include:
 * funding info (SAF Guidelines)
 * forms
 * deadlines
 * where to get info: Hampedia-- SHOW THEM HOW TO USE IT
 * money takes time to be pulled out!! tips on keeping organized
 * history of Hampedia, why are we using this tool?
 * for breakout sessions, contact some seasoned signers
 * Hampedia is actively being updated
 * Food POs are being requested by Luke
 * We met with Pam Tinto today to discuss Signer Seminar, Hampfest (we need to pay for tables and chairs at RCC?) coordination between FiCom and CLA, and Marie's role (need to revisit Marie's work logs) (12pm-2pm)

Attendance:

Mida, Dillon, Ananda, Luke, Dan

COCA members included in today's discussion:

Marian, Kalei, Leana, Chris, Sam

September 2nd

 * We need to work on the SAF Guidelines
 * We need to make a form for Additional Food Funding questions
 * To get approved for additional food funding Ficom asks that you fill out this form
 * Meeting Time:
 * Place:
 * How much have you been spending per meeting?
 * How many students are attending?
 * Publicized or not? How?
 * How are you serving students:
 * Questions, comments, or criticism of the system?
 * Don't ask for an amount of money!
 * Must request two weeks in advance (one meeting every two weeks to deal with food requests)
 * Plan on probably meetings Mondays 5-7 (with dinner) and Wednesday 6-7

Topics to discuss with COCA


 * SAF Guidelines. What are COCA's recommendations and needs? Questions?
 * Formalization of initial allocations. Presently, COCA essentially submits a request to FiCom, based on the initial allocations made by the body.
 * Budgeting overall. Figuring out a better system of having an understanding of the full budget for the semester and knowing how much money can be spent
 * Spring Jam Budgets and Hampshire Halloween Budgets. How can we simplify the system while still staying accountable?
 * Bylaws (include each other in our bylaws)
 * Signer Sem presentation. Need master list of topics, so that Ananda can make framework PowerPoint
 * Monthly joint FiCom/COCA meeting
 * Integration of the two form systems for FiCom and COCA
 * SAF Listserv: tool for better communication between FiCom, COCA, and Pam
 * Have some sort of friendly get-to-know-you event with COCA, and with CC as a whole! =)

Attendance Mida, Wills, Dan, Ananda, Luke, Dillon

September 1st

 * HC Slam Collective Trip Request (IWPS) (Slam Collective Budget Fall 2009):
 * Sean Conlon graduated, no longer Hampshire student
 * How is this one person chosen?
 * It is one person, not really a community event, or even for a team...
 * FiCom Office Assistant
 * This position was set up to improve the effectiveness of FiCom
 * For legal reasons, Marie has to have a supervisor who is an administrator. Pam fills that role
 * Want to better understand how Pam views Marie's role
 * What is Marie doing with her day?
 * Set up joint FiCom and Pam meeting for Thursday/Friday, CLA office
 * Meeting with Pam
 * Marie situation
 * FiCom's relationship with CLA: How can we have a more effective working relationship?
 * Clarification: FiCom meeting before classes begin. What does she think of these meetings?
 * Storage
 * Governance
 * "Steward of the SAF" ("2003 the Dean of the College, Mike Ford, and Associate Dean, Yanina Vargas" said this, according to Stephen Pereira). What does this entail? How does this fit into the governance structure?
 * organization chart- does one exist for this system between Student Life and Community Council?
 * Rolling group recognition
 * Problem: System of approval (Pam's job) would have to be done throughout the year, including risk assessment
 * Problem: Students making meaningless groups in order to just get food money
 * Alternative: SAPs (Student Activated Projects) - Unrecognized student groups who want to do a project would have to meet with us, show that they are organized, etc, have detailed plan for money use, and we will fund them. Expectation that they will become recognized student groups the next semester.
 * Storage
 * FiCom office, bar code scanning system, same Library filing system. Dillon is in charge of IT side of storage system.
 * Is the primary goal inventory or providing storage?
 * We could begin by having students make list of permanent equipment on Hampedia (must be kept updated in order to receive funding)
 * Signer Sem
 * Must keep list of permanent equipment mandatory
 * Hampedia training
 * Meeting with COCA
 * Disciplinary issue
 * T-shirts?
 * Bylaws need to properly outline relationship between the two bodies

Proposed Agenda for Meetings Before School Begins (beginning Sept 1)

 * Initial funding allocations
 * Disciplinary issue concerning misuse of funds. This involves meeting with the persons involved, and then meeting as FiCom to make a decision
 * COCA and FiCom's relationship. The lack of clarity concerning operations between these two bodies led to several avoidable problems last year. This requires meeting as FiCom to clarify our expectations from COCA, and meeting with COCA to come to a consensus between the two groups
 * COCA Event Funding Form!
 * COCA's expectations of FiCom
 * COCA initial budgeting issues--how can we improve the original allocation of 601?
 * Hampshire Halloween discussion with FiCom--how can we best fund the event?
 * Fall Signer Sem. This will be occurring a mere week after classes begin, and if we intend to improve the small-group system used in the Spring, this necessitates better preparation on part of the individual members of FiCom and COCA
 * Funding policies: new food funding form, and ?
 * Better information sharing. Ideas for this include creating an online FAQ, improving our Hampedia resources, improving the system of communication between FiCom, COCA, and CLA...
 * Storage system. Equipment storage space and mechanics, permanent equipment inventory
 * Potential rolling group acceptance to go along with rolling funding policies
 * Issues regarding FiCom's role in the Hampshire community, and how various other Hampshire offices interact with the committee: finding ways to build bridges between different offices, and ensure more positive working relationships