Student Group Signer Manual

Hampshire Student Union
A designated group of students who support student groups and the student body by facilitation community discussions. All members of the student body are members of the student union. Helps get students in contact with the proper administrators and departments. Aims to collect student feedback on current community issues.

FundCom
This is the Funding Committee of Hampshire Student Union. FundCom allocates funds from the student activities fee which each Hampshire student pays, manages the student group funding requests and oversees the financial practices of Hampshire Student Union funded organizations and projects.


 * Contact: hsufundcom@gmail.com

FundCom Forms
You can print these forms and instructions and use them to be reimbursed. They are also available at the FundCom office or the CLA office.


 * Reimbursement Form
 * Contract Request
 * Purchasing Form

Change of Signer Form

 * If you need to change your signers during the semester please fill out this form.
 * Change of Signer Form

Managing Student Groups Finances

 * Financial Management Tools

Office of Campus Leadership and Activities (CLA)
The CLA serves as a resource space for student groups. This is the office of the Student Group Activities Coordinator, who can be consulted on financial matters such as the status of group transactions, the group’s current account balance, etc. The mailboxes of every student group, used by FundCom to communicate with signers on paperwork issues are located in this office. Signers have access to printing copying and fax facilities in the office. The CLA also sponsors Hampfest, the student activities fair held once every semester to allow student groups to advertise their programs and recruit new members. Moreover, all events have to be registered online at the CLA’s web page by filling out an online ERF. The CLA is located in the Dakin Student Life building.


 * Hours: Mon - Fri 8:30 to 4:30
 * Contact: x6005, leadership@hampshire.edu

Signer Seminar
Signer Seminar is a semesterly signer training that is put on (predominantly) by FundCom and the CLA. The seminar begins at the Main Lecture Hall (MLH) Presentation, which usually encompasses any policy changes, previous SAF expenditure reports and big student activities-related college announcements. Afterward, the signers are split up into breakout sessions, which range from the semesterly sessoins, such as the "New Signer Session" (uploaded here) and "Event Planning 101," to other not-as-repeated sessions, such as "Playing in the Sandbox: Group Dynamics, Facilitation and Utilization of All of Our Gifts" and "Activist Groups:  Growing Your Organizing Skills."

FundCom Location, Hours and Contact Information
FundCom meeting times are on their Hampedia page. Feel free to drop by any time to get questions answered. *Contact: hsufundcom@gmail.com

The Three-Signer System:
The three-signer system is used for Community Council funded organizations in order to ensure that no on e person can inappropriately spend funds. Signer signatures are checked against the signatures on the Funding Contract each group must turn in after signer training. No paperwork of a group can be processed without the signatures of all three signers on this contract. Signers should be familiar with and have available to them:


 * The rules of FundCom and Hampshire Student Union
 * The names and signatures of all authorized signers of their own group and of FundCom
 * The group’s current balance

Signers are expected to

 * Ask for the cooperation of HSU and FundCom when dealing with difficult financial matters
 * Report any discrepancies to FundCom and the CLA
 * Process financial paperwork in a timely fashion
 * Attend signer seminar sessions at the beginning of every semester
 * Provide signatures to FundCom and the CLA when requested
 * Provide the group’s records to FundCom and the CLA when requested

Note: Never sign a financial document that is not completely filled out. By signing a document, you are attesting that, to the best of your knowledge, the expenditure is appropriate, the funds are available and the proper individuals have authorized the transaction. If you are uncertain about a transaction, do not sign. Contact your other signers or FundCom with your concerns. Here are some important things to remember when planning your activities and in your transactions with FundCom over the course of the semester:


 * No academic work will be funded by FundCom
 * KEEP UPDATED RECORDS OF ALL YOUR TRANSACTIONS.
 * Processing paperwork usually takes up to 10 days. In particular, please submit POs well in advance of your event so that it will be ready for use when needed.
 * Check your group mailbox at CLA regularly. Any incorrect paperwork will be sent to these boxes.
 * Paperwork can be submitted at CLA.
 * The signers of an established group cannot all be new. At least one signer must have had a semester of previous signing experience (for any student group, not necessarily the one concerned).
 * The signers of an established group cannot all be Div III students. There must be at least one student of a lower divisional level. This is to ensure the continuity of group s over the course of several academic years.
 * Reimbursement for online purchases requires original receipts and an itemized credit card statement to be submitted (you can cross out any irrelevant purchases in the statement before submission).
 * Fundcom must be informed two weeks in advance before any trips, at least a month in advance for any trips outside of 250 miles.
 * Reimbursement for airline tickets requires the submission of the original boarding card stub with the RFP.
 * Student Activities Fee cannot be used for alcohol or tobacco purchases.
 * Student Activities Fee can only reimburse current enrolled students
 * Contracts - cannot reimburse students
 * reimbursement for travel using your own vehicle - you must write your plate number, starting and ending address on your reimbursement form.
 * Feel free to refer to the full SAF Guidelines and FundCom Funding Policies to gain a deeper understanding of what may and may not be purchased with SAF funds.

Budget and Financial Matters
The system used by FundCom to allocate funds to student groups is depended on the submission of detailed itemized listings of all expected expenditures in the funding applications. Student groups are allocated budgets only for the specific expenditures that they have applied for. Any large changes in these expenditures (even if this means simply switching funds from one item/event to another and not a change in the amount) must be cleared by FundCom before the change is made. This applies to all shifts in budgeting that exceed $50. Please remember that we cannot process paperwork if there are discrepancies in the funding requests and the actual expenditures. Do update us on the changes you make in your budgets to avoid confusion.

Extra funding
A group can apply for extra funding at any time during the semester. To request more funds, go to the Zoho Funding Portal.

Co-sponsorship
Groups are encouraged to collaborate on events and co-sponsor each other’s programming. It should also be made clear which groups are requesting for extra funds in order to sponsor the event and which are re-allocating funds from other parts of their budget. The proposal must be signed by all three signers of every group concerned.

Media Services
Small sound systems, slide projectors, overhead projectors, tape recorders and video cameras are available for check out at no cost. Please allow for training time when you come to check them out. A projectionist can be requested for film and video screenings. Any screenings in the Main Lecture Hall requires the presence of Media Services staff. There will be a charge of $60 for this service. Large sound system: systems are designed for the particular needs of each event at a meeting between the students concerned and the Media Services coordinator. An average package can be about $150 for a five hour event, including set-up and two student workers. Projectors and large sounds systems must be reserved at least one week in advance. Contact: x5435

Duplications
Basic copies, color copies, fold, staple, collate, postcards, pamphlets and brochures. Paper is available in a large variety of colors and thickness.


 * Contact: x5512, duplications@hampshire.edu

Listserv
Set up a Listserv for your student group. It's completely free, and a great way to keep all your members up to date about upcoming news and events!

Timessquare
Students can email horizontal pdf's to timessquare@hampshire.edu and it will be shown on that board in the library for free

Daily Digest
To post an event in the daily digest, emailed to all students, sign in on the intranet and click on "Add an Event/Announcement." There is a 24 hour delay in messages going out so make sure you post your announcement a day or two in advance. This service is free.

Transportation Vans
To reserve the college vans, contact switchboard two weeks in advance. You will need approval from the CLA and FundCom. You will need a driver who has passed the defensive driving course at Hampshire. To be reimbursed for gas from FundCom, make sure you submit a gas receipt and printout of map and route taken, with your RFP. Mileage is reimbursed at $0.56 a mile. (rate as of 01/01/14)

Pool Vehicle Usage for Recognized Student Groups

 * Pool_vehicles.pdf‎