Student Budget Committee Bylaws

These laws outline the proceedings of the Student Budget Committee.

1. Two-thirds of members including the Manager will constitute quorum.
   • Membership is open to the entire student body. Seven members are appointed by Student Council in addition to the Student Groups Advisor, who will also serve on SBC.
   • Becoming a member of SBC immediately terminates and disqualifies one from being treasurer of any organization that might receive SBC funding.
2. All voting will take the form YES-NO-ABSTAIN, with a motion requiring an affirmative majority of members not abstaining in order to pass. All motions must be seconded in order to be considered for a vote. Bottom-up voting will be used to determine among multiple funding motions.
   • It is expected that any member who feels his/her objectivity in a matter is compromised will recuse him/herself from any voting and general discussion on that matter.
   • An allocation to any one group during any one meeting must also be approved by Student Council if the total approved by SBC exceeds 1% of the total Student Activities Fee income for that year.
   • An allocation presented on behalf of the SBC Manager for the SBC Budget must also be approved by Student Council. This provision is intended to provide a means of reasonable supervision and control to ensure accountability and deter irresponsible allocations.
3. All meetings where budgets are to be considered are open to the public.
   • Minutes of all meetings where budgets are to be considered will be kept and made available to the public.
4. A member missing three meetings without extenuating circumstances provides grounds for SBC to ask that member to resign. Additional absences provide grounds to seek the removal of that member through Student Council. Two latenesses will be considered as one absence.
5. SBC will host Spring Budgeting during the Spring semester of each year. At the end of each Fall semester, SBC will present a recommendation to Student Council for the Student Activities Fee for the next year.
   • During Spring Budgeting, SBC will ensure that a Contingency fund containing a total of 5% of the following year's Student Activities Fee income is set aside from the General Allocation.
   • During Spring Budgeting, SBC will set aside appropriate funding to cover unexpected and new expenses during the following year.
   • Any group that holds a charter during and fails to appear for Spring Budgeting will have whatever funding it subsequently receives reduced by half.
6. SBC will hire a Manager and support staff to manage the Student Budget Office, oversee accounts, and maintain programs and capital equipment.
   • Hiring will take place in the spring after Spring Budgeting. Each position is open to the entire student body.
   • The Manager will enforce the SAA rules and set the agenda for each SBC meeting.
     1. The Manager has the authority levy fines and/or freeze a group's budget in order to enforce the SAA rules, although such decisions can be appealed to SBC.
7. These bylaws and rules regarding Student Activities Account expenditures can be altered, excepted, or removed by a two-thirds affirmative vote of all members present at a meeting.
8. SBC does not fund retroactively.
9. Appeals
   • Pending revisions and/or clarifications of proposals for funding, SBC reserves the right to defer decisions until the following meeting.
   • Appeals of any decision of the SBC committee can be presented to Student Council at its next meeting. A notice of appeal must be presented to the Student Groups Advisor within two days of when the decision was made.
     1. Appeals of any decision made by an SBC subcommittee may be presented to SBC at its next meeting. A notice to appeal must be presented to SBC and the subcommittee that made the decision within two days of when the decision was made.
     2. Appeals of any decision made by the SBC manager may be presented to SBC at its next meeting. A notice to appeal must be presented to SBC within two days of when the decision was made.