PITTSBURGH, Pa. (PTTP) – The student organizations and clubs at The University of Pittsburgh’s main campus help to create an eventful and tradition filled environment at the school. Every year, a portion of each student’s tuition is dedicated to the student activity fee. A few years ago, that portion was increased from eighty to one-hundred dollars. The Allocation Committee of the Student Government Board typically handles the funding for on-campus organizations. Those of the team noticed that not all the money collected through the student activity fee was being used. When Carson Hawk was elected to the Chair position of the Allocation Committee, he began the process of addressing this discrepancy.
All organizations on campus are important in supporting the University’s community. Around nine months after the idea to change the funding was introduced, a statement was made by the Student Government Board and the Office of Inclusion, which works with Student Affairs to make Pitt’s campus feel like a second home for its students. Hawk stated that “These [changes] are more for student groups that have large expenses and … how we can make sure large chunks of funding are doled out by responsible parties in a manner that impacts the student experience in a positive way.” Examples of these organizations include Greek Sing and the Steel City Step Show. This development will offer a new avenue of funding rather than working through the Student Government Board. Along with this, organizations won’t have to go through a new approval every year for recurring events. Hawk stated, “we didn’t want the allocations committee to be a barrier between essential programming, so it is something administered by the Office of Inclusion.”
Although no formal action has been taken towards restructuring the funding system, students involved in on-campus organizations are encouraged to reach out to the allocations committee and they will pass you along to the Office of Inclusion team. Speaking on behalf of the Allocation committee, Hawk added “We’re trying to do right by the student body, and hopefully this accomplishes that.”
A link to the entire funding statement: http://sgb.pitt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SGB-Announces-Landmark-Funding-Breakthrough-312477.pdf
