The 2019-2020 Student Government budget was signed on May 6, 2019 by President Harris Pastides. Student body treasurer Kate Lewis said she didn't want to make any changes to last year's budget besides the new executive members' initiatives they campaigned on — things such as a mental health workshop, a 9/11 memorial and a Diversity Week.
Lewis had $42,567 to work with. This is divided up into the D003 fund, an operational budget of $38,500, and the D006 fund, about $4,000 for incoming officers to use after the current term.
Here's everything you need to know about where Student Government is allocating its funds. Find the full budget here.
Initiatives
Mental Health Week — $750
Mental Health Workshop — $200
Carolina Closet — $400
9/11 Memorial (A day remembering 9/11 in Williams Brice Stadium that was part of Student Body President Luke Rankin's campaign platform) — $600
JOBS (An initiative Student Body Vice President Sophie Davish is currently working on to encourage students to create résumés and apply for internships) — $500
Diversity Week — $1,000
Internal Monetary Fund
The Internal Monetary Fund is the rebranded New Initiative Fund.
The New Initiative Fund was created last school year to help student organizations create and produce events. Unlike previous initiatives, the student senate had to vote to provide the money from the New Initiative Fund. This was meant to bring more transparency to the student body.
Last school year, the purpose of the New Initiative Fund was called into question. Additionally, former Student Body Vice President Mills Hayes overspent on the organization's fall awards last school year and expected the extra money to be taken out of the New Initiative Fund.
However, with a new name, Lewis has $3,500 set aside for the Internal Monetary Fund. She said none of this fund will be spent until July 1 when USC's fiscal year begins.
Executive stipends
From last year's budget, the speaker of the student senate, student body vice president and treasurer stipends went up $420. The student body president stipend went up $480.
Now the speaker of the student senate, student body vice president and treasurer receive $4,410 each a year and the student body president receives $5,040.
Lewis said the stipends increased because last year the speaker of the student position was created and they divided stipends meant for four people among three people. This year, she worked with Anna Edwards, associate vice president for student life, to rebalance these stipends to work better for four people.
Lewis also said this year the executive team worked in the weeks after final exams and will be working before the school year begins and the increased stipends reflect that.
Travel
The SEC Student Government Exchange is an annual conference held for Student Governments across the SEC. For travel, hotel and registration, $1,750 is allocated.
The budget lists $3,260 for the Congressional Advisory Board's travel.
For Freshman Send-offs, the budget lists $500. This is for Rankin to travel to meet new freshmen and represent USC.
There's also $500 for Rankin's travel in the executive fund, put in place to cover gas mileage for him to meet with board members.
Miscellaneous
$892 is going to name plates, Student Government executive polos, office photos and senate frames.
$840 is going to office supplies, postage and copier charges.
$71 goes to fringe benefits — a university tax on stipends.
$1,000 is going to promotional items.
$500 is going to LAN report cards. This is the Legislative Action Network and Lewis said this allocation funds printing fees for members of the network so they have what they need when traveling to speak with legislators.
$1,000 is going to advertising.
$1,250 is going to the State of the Student Body event.
$500 is going to senate town hall funding.
$100 is going to printing for the Congressional Advisory Board.
$250 is going to streaming equipment.
$150 is going to senate manuals.
$200 is going to Greek Night.
$500 is going to an election night soiree.
$600 is going to the South Carolina Presidential Summit.
$339 is going to the DC Presidential Leadership Summit.
$175 is going to the Remple award, a traditional Student Government award that Edwards won last year.
$1,500 is going to technical upgrades.
$750 is going to a spring retreat.
$720 is going to mass university email service.
Correction: A previous version of this story referred to the D003 and D006 budgets as the entire Student Government budget. The D003 and D006 budgets are two out of four parts of Student Government's operational budget.