Ficom SAF Guidelines (historical, out of date, DO NOT REFERENCE FOR FUNDING PURPOSES)

These are the regulations FiCom follows when filling funding requests.

Guidelines for the Proper Spending of the Student Activities Fee (SAF)
FiCom is accountable, as the body responsible for the management of the Student Activities Fee (SAF), to determine the set of guidelines that allow a responsible, transparent, fair, and effective use of the Student Activities Fee. Community Council oversees the SAF, and has the power to veto any decision made by FiCom. The following statements guide FiCom’s decision-making process. These guidelines are used when making decisions over the SAF, however those who employ these guidelines must always exercise reason, prudence, and patience. The interpretation of these guidelines should always serve student activities.

NOTE: in this document the terms “organization” and “group” are meant to have the same meaning.

Overarching Purpose and Objective the SAF

 * The SAF must be spent in its entirety on activities initiated by students through recognized student organizations.

Student Organizations and the SAF

 * A recognized student organization that is eligible to receive funding from the SAF must meet the following conditions:
 * The organizations must be first recognized and cleared of any risk factors by the office of Campus Leadership and Activities;
 * The organization must be made up of currently enrolled Hampshire students;
 * All groups must meet on campus and in public spaces;
 * All groups’ meetings, events, and group related activities must be open and accessible to the entire Hampshire community, except for groups specifically recognized as closed groups
 * A student organization is defined as a group of students who choose to come together to participate as a collective under one mission in order to achieve a particular objective or set of objectives.
 * All student organizations must function financially and operationally independently from any and all departments on campus and administrative offices. Student groups may collaborate closely with departments/offices, but all activities must be student-initiated.
 * Any student group may receive, if it desires, institutional and financial support from any department on campus and administrative offices in order to achieve its objectives.
 * Student groups cannot provide financial support for any department or administrative office on campus under any circumstance.

Spending Criteria of the SAF

 * Spending from the SAF must meet the following criteria in order for organizations to receive funding:
 * Student groups must provide a service to the Hampshire Community, which is not provided otherwise by any school, department, or program on campus.
 * The amount of funding requested by a student group must be appropriate and reasonable in relation to what the student group desires to achieve.
 * The amount of funding provided to a student group must be appropriate and reasonable in relation to its impact on the Hampshire Community.
 * Any and all funding proposals must be achievable.
 * Any and all funding proposals must meet the criteria listed below.
 * The SAF can be spent for the following (in no particular order):
 * Payment for vendors, speakers, instructors, artists, performers, and coaches
 * Events organized by students
 * Student group meetings
 * Pre-approved travel expenses
 * Equipment for the use of student groups
 * Advertisements for student-initiated activities
 * Membership fees, dues, subscriptions, and entry fees for competitions
 * Screenings
 * Publications
 * The SAF cannot be spent for the following (in no particular order):
 * Bail or other legal expenses
 * Student profit-generating enterprises or projects (exception for Hampshire Halloween tickets)
 * Alcohol (case-by-case exceptions for religious groups)
 * Permanent equipment, programs and/ or infrastructure that falls under the financial responsibility of any office on campus or administrative department
 * Donations of any kind; including offices on campus, administrative departments, and third parties
 * Any activity for an individual’s academic credit
 * Any activity that is not organized by students
 * Funding programs initiated by offices on campus and/ or administrative departments
 * Any purchases that violate standards outlined in NSNS
 * Salaries or stipends to students (this may not apply to Community Council officers)
 * Giveaways exceeding one dollar in cost, raffles, or personal gifts
 * Media rentals or purchases not approved for public screening or use

Financial Responsibilities of the SAF

 * The SAF must meet its financial responsibilities with regards to permanent funding. These responsibilities include:
 * Five College PVTA Fare Free Bus Fee
 * Fine Arts Center Performing Arts Fee
 * Student Activities Program Subsidy (3.5% of SAF)
 * SOURCE Allocations
 * Residential Life Programs
 * FiCom Office Assistant

Overview of SAF’s Accounts

 * Community Council Pool Account - 601
 * This is the catchall account that the Business Office uses to deposit the Student Activity Fee in each semester. FiCom, who allocates these funds to student groups, administers this account. 601 as well as all student group accounts get zeroed out on July 1. Leftover funds up to $50,000 are immediately deposited into Council’s Contingency Saving Account. Leftover funds above $50,00 are deposited into the Operation Fund Overflow Account.
 * C.O.C.A. - 611
 * Committee on Community Activities, plans large scale events including, but not limited to Hampshire Halloween and Spring Jam. Distributes funds for student group events.
 * C.O.C.D. - 614
 * Committee on Community Development, used to renovate, create, and maintain of large-scale social project.
 * Pooled Vehicle - 683
 * This account funds student group van use. Usually has a minimum balance of $5,000.
 * FiCom - 715
 * Financial Committee, manages and allocates the Student Activities Fee.
 * SafeCom - 717
 * Safety Committee, helps to facilitate discussion, organization and implementation of policies, which impact Hampshire safety, security and health.
 * Community Council - 718
 * This account is used to support the administrative functions of Council (office supplies, etc.) Council may choose to allocate some of this money to support established groups or events.
 * Community Council Contingency Savings - 719
 * This account permanently holds Council’s reserves mandated by FiCom bylaws. The contingency fund is set aside for emergency use only. On special occasions and in consultation with the Director of Student Development. Use of this account is restricted and has a minimum balance of $50,000. This account rolls over year to year.

A PDF is available here: