Student Union Financial Report: Winter 2022

Senior and Student Union (SU) President Shivali Korgaonkar and junior and SU Vice President Ryan Lee released information regarding the SU’s yearly allocations, including funds granted to different clubs through the Clubs and Pubs department. With the return of in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year, apparel and other traditional SU and caucus events, such as Boo!Grams, were added back to their budget.

During the winter of 2021, the SU was unable to host in-person sales and events, such as the selling of SING! tickets, which was its main source of funding. Additionally, the pandemic caused many clubs to host activities online and eliminated the need for funding. As a result, only eight clubs received funding, with Speech and Debate being the top-funded club and receiving $2,750, which is a significant decrease from previous years.

This year, the SU allocated around $16,000 for 20 clubs, with Speech and Debate earning the most funds as it returned to in-person tournaments, receiving a total of $7,000 to fund tournaments; the second most-funded club was Model United Nations, which received $2,900 for its events and conferences.

Clubs and Pubs Allocations

Why was there an exponential increase in club allocations from last year to this year?

Due to widespread virtual learning, most clubs at Stuyvesant navigated an online structure that cut down costs on materials and event fees. Stuyvesant Speech and Debate often receives the most funding, but since many speech and debate conferences were postponed or virtual last year, members did not have to pay for admissions or travel fees. Many clubs have returned to an in-person format this school year, so more funding has been needed to support club activities.

Total Club Grants Requested and Offered

What is the process for getting grants approved for a club?

Clubs in need of funding for important resources can submit a request to the SU Budgeting department for a proposed amount of funds. In their proposal, they must outline exactly how they plan to spend their funds and why those materials are necessary for their club. The SU Budget Analysts first evaluate the proposals and determine whether or not the club should move forward in the process for an interview. Afterward, club leaders meet with the entire Budget Committee, the SU President and Vice President, caucus presidents, and SLT student representatives. The funds are only granted to a club once the entire committee of interviewers reaches a two-thirds consensus. The money is transferred to a sub-account of the Clubs & Pubs account in the SU, where club leaders can access their funds.

In order for the Budget Committee to grant a club’s funds, the proposal must satisfy a series of requirements. The funds may not be used for religious purposes or to purchase personal items for club members. All items purchased using SU funds must be returned to the SU after use.

The SU made the largest profit this year with in-person events, specifically with Boo!Gram sales, which made $6,500 in profit. However, there was a slightly negative revenue with the sale of Stuyvesant apparel. Apparel sales are still ongoing, so exact profits may fluctuate later on. “As for how much profit we’ve made, it’s hard to say because we’re still selling merch and are anticipating more sales,” Coordinator of Student Affairs Matt Polazzo said.