Scope Group on Campus Budget and Policy

What We Do
The Scope Group on Campus Budget and Policy serves in an advisory capacity to the administration of the College, meeting regularly and sharing information and ideas. The group is actively engaged in budget and policy issues that affect all parts of the College.

How We Do It
Maintain regular meetings with the President, college administrators, and academic deans

Consult with, offer creative ideas to, and support the work of admissions and communications regarding the promotion of the College

Offer ideas to include a wide array of student work in the marketing of the College

Consult with, offer creative ideas to, and support the work of College advancement

Collaborate with existing bodies addressing issues of tuition, fees, and budgeting priorities (non-regulatory issues) by way of student representatives on the budget and priorities committee, and work to bring student Input back to the committee

Work with the office of finance and administration in an advisory capacity regarding the process and selection of contract services on campus, and provide a consistent feedback loop between students, contract services, and the College

Meeting Minutes
11/12/13 Present: Wesley Evans, Carter Gill(via Skype) Location: FPH 104

Opened with a discussion of the meeting, and needing to get more members. Updates: Discussion of the Tavern Management Act Closed meeting

Barn Funding Act
An act relating to appropriation of funds from the Student Endowment, Student Activities Fee Surplus, and financial pledge, for the Roos-Rohde House; providing intent, providing definitions, providing descriptions, providing appropriations, providing directives, providing an effective date.

“Barn Funding Act”

BE IT ENACTED BY THE HAMPSHIRE STUDENT UNION TOWN MEETING

Section I: Intent Whereas the Roos-Rohde House is student designed, student led project. Whereas the HSU has committed to supporting large student capital projects through the Student Endowment. Therefore the Hampshire Student Union wishes to support the Roos-Rohde House with funding appropriations from the Student Endowment, Student Activities Fee surplus, and financial pledge.

Section II: Definitions (1) “Roos-Rohde House” shall herein be referred to as “the barn”. (2) “SAF” shall mean the Student Activities Fee. (3) “HSU” shall mean the Hampshire Student Union. (4) “College” shall mean Hampshire College. (5) “Construction costs” shall mean any costs associated with construction, outfitting, furnishing, or other costs incurred before the commissioning of the building. (6) “Union” shall mean the Hampshire Student Union.

Section III: Descriptions The Barn Project is a student initiative to create a new building on campus, The Roos Rohde House, that is by students and for students. When Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash moved into the Presidential home in 2010, he found a horse barn he had no use for. Intent on making the repurposing of the horse barn a learning experience, he contacted Art and Architectural History Professor Karen Koehler and community design student group Rehamping to lead the process of finding use for and designing the barn. Two years later and with the help of faculty, staff, and design and construction professionals, students are designing the new building. Material from the existing horse barn is being re-purposed for use in the Roos Rohde House. Situated inside the Community Garden on campus, it will house Mixed Nuts, the decades-old student-run food coop, as well as a student flux-space where students and student groups can meet and collaborate.

Section IV: Appropriations (1) The Barn shall be allocated $87,364.00, for construction costs from the Student Endowment interest. (2)The Barn shall be allocated $100,000 for construction cost, from the SAF Rollover. Funds shall not come the yearly SAF Budget. (3) Total allocations from the HSU, to the construction of the Barn, shall not exceed $300,000.00

Section V: Directives (1) The Coordinating Board shall direct the Financial Committee to immediately fund the account specified by the Barn Project, at the amounts specified by Section 4 of this act. (2) The Coordinating Board shall direct the Scope Group of Campus Budget and Policy to advise Rehamping, and the Barn Project, on the construction of the barn. (3) The Coordinating Board shall direct the Scope Group on Student Experience to advise the Barn Project and Rehamping on best practices for student spaces. (4) Rehamping and the Barn Project shall be required to provide monthly updates to Coordinating Board on the progress of the Barn, and from time to time to attend meetings. (5) The Coordinating Board shall direct the Scope Group on Campus Budget and Policy to lobby the President’s office for continued student management of the space after construction. The space should not be listed in the college space reservations system, nor should it be managed by a campus office, unless directed by the Union.

Section VI: Effective Date This act is effective immediately upon its passage by the Hampshire Student Union Town Meeting.

Student Endowment Management Act
An act relating to the management of the Quasi-Student Endowment; creating Section student endowment management, Student Activities Fund Guidelines; providing intent; providing definitions; providing guidelines; providing nullification; providing an effective date.

“Student Endowment Usage Act”

BE IT ENACTED BY THE HAMPSHIRE STUDENT UNION TOWN MEETING

Section I: Intent Whereas on November 1, 1990, Community Council Chairperson Timothy Shary sent Hampshire College President Gregory S. Prince, Jr. a memorandum concerning the establishment of an endowed fund by Community Council to “finance special long-term projects supported by the Hampshire Community at large.” The creation of the fund was approved by the Executive Committee of the Hampshire College Board of Trustees on December 12, 1990. Whereas the endowment was funded with an initial grant of $1,990 from Community Council. This amount was augmented sporadically over a number of years, creating a substantial pool of funds. President Prince, in his letter of understanding to Chairperson Shary (January 17, 1991), noted that the endowment fund was accepted by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees “with the understanding that the College reserves the right to act prudently should a fiscal emergency arise at some future date” and that “the Trustees of Hampshire College shall have ultimate jurisdiction of [the account’s] funds.” Prince further stated that “of course, the community would be consulted if such an unhoped for and unlikely emergency were to occur.” Whereas beyond these standing stipulations, terminologies and governance structures have changed since the original establishment of the fund. Most importantly, the Community Council was dissolved in 2012 and has been replaced by a student governance body, the Hampshire Student Union (“HSU”). This Act is the successor to the original statement of understanding, and should be the reference point for understanding the proper use of the student endowment fund.

Section II: Definitions (1) “Student Endowment” means the Board of Trustees established the fund as an endowment, it is a “quasi” endowment and the principal can and may be spent, though it is not advised. (2) “HSU” shall refer to the Hampshire Student Union. (3) “SAF” shall refer to the Student Activities Fee.

Section III: Guidelines: Section student endowment management, SAF Guidelines, is created to read: (A) Fund Name The endowed fund principal account is entitled “Student Endowment.” The associated income account has the same title. The two accounts are distinguished by different account numbers.

(B) Investment and Income Though principal can and may be spent, the purpose of the fund—as with any endowment—is to preserve principal and make use of the income. Thus it is recommended that only the fund’s income be routinely spent. The fund principal is invested in the College’s long-term investment pool to mitigate the volatility risk of investing in a single equity or fund. The annual spending rate from the pool is determined by the Board of Trustees to preserve principal. Currently, it is 4.5% of the pool’s average market value over the completed twelve trailing quarters. That amount is deposited in the income account annually and is available to spend. The Treasurer notifies holders of income accounts of their projected income for the year in the early fall. The balances of both the principal and income accounts are available at any time from the college Controller. The income fund is treated as an agency account. Revenues and expenses flow through the College’s accounting system, but they are not elements of the college annual budget. A third account only peripherally addressed in this policy is the Hampshire Student Union Agency Account which accommodates annual student activity fees subsequently allocated to various groups and activities by the HSU. Unspent funds at year-end are swept back into this account by the Treasurer and accrue from year to year. All or any portion of these funds may be invested in the long-term pool upon request to the Treasurer.

(C) Use of Funds The principal, income, and any future funds added to the endowment at any time are to be used for the purposes stated in this Act. Additional funds provided to the HSU– charitable gifts, for example – may be invested in the long-term pool upon request of the HSU Coordinating Board to the Treasurer. Though the student body determines allocations and spending from the fund through the Coordinating Board of the HSU, ultimate responsibility for all College funds rests with the Trustees of Hampshire College. In turn the Board designates responsibility to the President and subsequently to the Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer, who manages endowment spending. Endowment management is governed by the Massachusetts General Law that addresses non-profit endowments. Spending must be consistent with these laws. Therefore, policies and procedures that govern accumulation or spending of the fund’s principal or earnings, or any changes to either or both, require approval of the Treasurer, at a minimum. Spending is approved by the Treasurer's Office (for compliance with generally accepted accounting practices, federal and state laws, donor’s requests, and College policies) in consultation with the Dean of Students.

(D) Proposals to Spend Funds Proposals for funding may be submitted to the Coordinating Board of the Hampshire Student Union by students, faculty, or staff, using the HSU’s established request form found on their website. Proposals must specify the amount requested, how the funds shall be spent (itemized), a rationale justifying use of the endowment income fund (or in unusual cases, the principal fund) to fund the request rather than the student activities fee account, and a statement of impact explaining how the outcome shall benefit the student community in the long-term. There is no limit to the number of proposals that can be made or voted on in a given year.

The Approval Process shall be as follows: 10	The Coordinating Board shall review the proposal for completeness and forward it to the Treasurer (or designee) for preliminary review, per the terms of Section C. The Treasurer shall approve or disapprove with rationale and return it to the Coordinating Board for further action. 20	The Coordinating Board shall determine whether the proposal is approved for public presentation and/or requires revision according to the Treasurer’s rationale. If the proposal is not approved for public presentation, the author(s) shall be provided an opportunity to rewrite and resubmit. If approved for presentation, the written proposal must be presented by the author at a Town Meeting open to all students for discussion. The author also must clarify whether the funds requested would come solely out of the fund’s income and/or reduce the principal. The Funding Committee of the HSU shall provide an addendum for each presentation that enumerates the current amount of income and principal in the fund. 30	The HSU shall hold a vote on the proposal according to voting methods outlined by the Hampshire Student Union. 40	At least 50% of the student body must vote within the stated voting period in order for the proposal to be approved and funded. Should the 50% voting quorum not be achieved, the proposal shall not pass. The votes shall not be counted unless quorum is achieved. If quorum is reached, the proposal shall pass or fail based on the HSU's established Town Meeting voting policies.

Section IV: Nullification All prior HSU acts, documents, and statements in conflict with this act are hereby null and void.

Section V: Effective Date (1) All sections of this act, except Section III, paragraph D, shall take effect on August 30th of the year after its passage. (2) Section III, paragraph D of this act shall take effect, as it is written, on August 30th of the year after its passage. Until that time, Section III, paragraph D, Approval Process clause 4, shall be amended to read: Quorum for any proposal shall be defined as one hundred students. If quorum is reached, the proposal shall pass or fail based on the HSU's established Town Meeting voting policies.

Section VI: Directives (1) A fund request form shall be established by a body of the HSU in order to satisfy the requirement in section D paragraph 1 of the proposed policy to have an established request form.