1
Manual on Financial Affairs
March 2016
Contents:
Student Activities Fee - 1
Other Funding Sources – 2
Line Item and Documentation Guide – 3
General and Non-Specific Discretionary Guidelines - 7
On-Campus Resource Index - 10
Other Financial Affairs Resources:
Financial Affairs website:
www.umdsgafinance.weebly.com
Publications:
SGA Funding Guide (step-by-step process of applying for SGA funding)
Spending Guide (step-by-step processes of how to spend money from FRS accounts)
Student Activities Fee:
The Student Activities Fee (SAF) is one part of the package of mandatory fees that are collected
from each undergraduate student. The appropriation of the SAF is entrusted to the Student
Government Association (SGA) in order to fund and support programs and initiatives that are
undertaken by undergraduate students. This is accomplished by recognizing student groups
whose missions are aligned with the stated goals and objectives of the SGA. The SGA seeks to
support non-exclusionary programming that enhances the University of Maryland community
and the overall student experience.
The responsibility of fairly and equitably distributing the SAF is delegated to the Committee on
Financial Affairs, which implements and oversees a monthly SAF allocation process. In order to
balance the total amount of requested SAF funds and the total amount of available SAF funds,
the Finance Committee establishes discretionary guidelines and standards that apply generally to
all allocation decisions. That is, the decision on whether or not to fund items for a requested
program will never be determined based on the mission or values of the group itself. As long as
the program is relatable to the SGA-recognized mission statement, the application will be
reviewed along the same parameters as all other applications.
Both the SGA and Student Groups are responsible for the use of the SAF. These expectations are
laid out in the SGA ByLaws: Article VII, Section 1:D, Section 2, and Section 4.
2
Other Funding Sources:
University offices and units:
Consult your advisor for the most appropriate academic department, program, or any unit that
may have funding available to provide to student groups for co-sponsored programming. Each
unit will have their own standards and requirements for requesting funding.
SEE Review Board:
Co-sponsorship with the Student Entertainment Events.
SEE Co-Sponsorship Director
(301)314-8498
[email protected]
www.see.umd.edu/co-sponsorship
Pepsi Enhancement Fund:
Through the Pepsi Enhancement Fund, $50,000 is available each semester to student groups,
departments and offices to underwrite the cost of programs that broadly affect the campus
population.
Donna Lim
[email protected].
www.thestamp.umd.edu/pepsi
Hoff Theater Program Funding:
Each semester, $20,000 will be available to enhance programming efforts in this particular
venue.
Donna Lim
[email protected].
https://stampunion.umd.edu/hofffunding/
Cross Cultural Programming Series:
Intended for cross-cultural programming that fosters communication across lines of difference.
Sponsored by the University’s Office of the VP for Student Affairs.
Warren Kelley
[email protected].
Group Help:
Funding of up to $1,000 per semester for one specific program. Available to any certified
President and/or Treasurer on SGA’s Orgsync portal.
Co-Sponsorship Grant:
Funding of up to $500 per SGA-recognized co-sponsoring group to fund items and costs that are
essential to the success of a collaborative program. Available to any certified President and/or
Treasurer on SGA’s Orgsync portal.
3
Line Item and Documentation Guide:
Documentation is meant to provide evidence from the source of the product or service that the Cost
requested is the actual cost. Documentation must be one of the following (listed in order of most effective
documentation):
• An Invoice (that is clearly authored by the product/service source) (DG: 0001-09201301)
• A Screenshot of an Email/Webpage/Document/etc. that is clearly authored by the product/service
source/provider (DG: 0001-09201301)
• A URL (the link must lead directly to the items requested) (DG: 0001-11201404)
While filling out a Funding Application, it is important to use this Guide AND the most updated
Discretionary Guidelines (www.umdsgafinance.weebly.com/discretionary-guidelines.html).
Line
Item
Description
Typical Expenses and
Notes
Minimum Requirements for
Documentation
Typical reasons why funding
might be denied:
- Some line items require specialized
information
All reasons listed are specific
to the particular line item;
ANY item might not be funded
due to insufficient
documentation and
breakdown, or any other
Discretionary Guideline.
3311/3
321
3311 In-State /
3321 Out-ofState
Conference
- Conference Fees
- Name and location of conference
- Cost per attendee
- Number of attendees
- Breakdown for what conference fee
will be used (in order to demonstrate
that food and lodging are not included
in calculations for Total Amount
Requested, AND that funds will not be
donated to a parent organization or any
political party/campaign/group)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- Food and lodging cannot be
included in the conference fee
(DG 3311-00201320)
- Conference fee cannot be a
fundraiser for the parent
organization, or for a political
party/campaign (DG 331100201321)
-Conference fees capped at
$50 per quantity of anticipated
attendance (DG331110201401)
3724
Advertising
- Flyers and posters
- Capped at $1 per
quantity of Anticipated
Attendance (DG: 372400201322)
- Advertising that involves Printing and
Copying materials will also be
reviewed as 3718 Printing and Copying
(3724-00201325)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- General advertising for
group is not funded unless it is
for a banner, table throw, or
similar item to stay with the
group (DG3724-11201406)
- Off campus advertising is
not funded (DG 372400201324)
- Newspaper advertisements
are not funded (DG 372409201304)
4
3950
AV Equipment - Microphones and
(Audio-Visual) speakers
- Projectors and screens
- Connector cables
- Sound board
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301) *For events in
Stamp: If the initial deposit cannot be
funded through non-SAF sources,
Event and Guest Services recommends
submitting a reservation through
eCalendar, obtaining a copy of the
Event Summary for documentation
purposes, then immediately cancelling
the reservation.
- No breakdown of specific
needs (ex. Sound package
with some arbitrary price)
- Off campus provider without
justification as to why an oncampus provider is
insufficient (DG 395000201326)
3620
Bus Rental
- Bus rentals
- Must be rented from Motor
Transportation Services or Shuttle UM
(DG: 0002-00201317)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- GoogleMap screenshot showing route
and distance to be traveled (in miles)
(DG 3620-00201327)
*Motor Transportation Services: ONLY
acceptable documentation is a
completed Motor Transportation
Services Pricing Sheet, which can be
obtained at SORC.
- Fuel and parking costs are
not funded (DG: 000200201318)
- Roadway tolls are not funded
(DG: 3620-03201402)
- No GoogleMap is provided
-All forms of transportation
are capped at $57.64 per
quantity of anticipated
attendance (DG000111201403)
3752
Contractual
Services
- Guest speakers
- DJs, performers
- Police services
- Capped at $10 per
quantity of Anticipated
Attendance per day of
- Name, description, and cost of
service, shown in an invoice, or
screenshot of email correspondence
(must be exact price quote)
- Phone number and email for service
- The $10 cap per Anticipated
Attendance (DG 3752-00201328) for
one-on-one training will be lifted only
when demonstrated to benefit the entire
group (DG 3752-10201302)
- Final price is still in
negotiation
- Final price is not exact
- A student member of an
organization who is providing
a service that is directly
related to the mission of that
organization may not receive
monetary compensation from
the Student Activities Fee
without pre-approval from the
SGA Legislature (DG: 375202201402)
the program
(DG: 3752-00201328)
4930
3717
Dues & Fees
Equipment
Rental
- non-Conference, eventbased fees
- Dues to national
affiliation (for group as a
whole)
- Equipment rental
- Must demonstrate that expenses for
individual memberships are not funded
(DG 4930-00201329)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- Must demonstrate a secure on-campus
storage facility or reasonable
expectation of care during rental period
(DG: 3717-00201330)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
-
-
Annual fees for individuals
are nota funded (they are
only funded for groups as a
whole)
Non-conference, event-based
fees capped at $10 per
quantity of anticipated
attendance (DG: 000200201316)
5
3716
Equipment
Repair
- Equipment repair
- Reason why repair is necessary
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
3746
Food
- ONLY funded for a
group for which food is
absolutely essential to its
mission statement and
Program purpose (DG
3746-00201331)
- Justification for food being absolutely
essential to group and Program
- Number of attendees
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- While food is not funded by
SAF unless absolutely
essential, a Program with food
(funded through other sources)
may still be funded for other
line items
3952
Misc. Supplies
- Event decorations
- Sports equipment
- Funding for
decorations is capped at
$1 per quantity of
Anticipated Audience.
Decorations are items
that do not serve
practical purpose, and
include but are not
limited to ribbons,
streamers, balloons,
flowers, balloon
weights, vases and
flowers, etc. (DG: 395200201332)
- Must demonstrate secure on-campus
storage space
- Up-to-date inventory record of student
group
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- No secure on-campus
storage space demonstrated
- No inventory record
provided
3916
Office
Supplies
- Primarily Guy Brown
purchases
- Staples
- Tape
- Pens/pencils
- Calculator
- Post-It Notes
- Item must be found in the Guy Brown
catalog at SORC
- Only acceptable documentation is a
copy of the Guy Brown order form
found at SORC.
- If an item is not found in the catalog at
SORC, must provide invoice or
screenshot from the alternate vendor.
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- Missing Guy Brown order
form from SORC
3210
Postage
- Postage
- Must demonstrate why email is
insufficient (DG 3210-00201335)
- Must include size of mailing list
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
3718
Printing and
Copying
- Flyers for Advertising
- Pamphlets
- Posters
- Banners
- All funding will be
adjusted to the costs of
Stamp Copy Services,
UNLESS a cheaper
alternative is
demonstrated (alongside
the cost from Copy
Services) (DG: 371800201336)
- Items that will be used for Advertising
will also be reviewed under 3724
Advertising standards
- Color paper must be justified
- Color ink must be justified (DG 371800201337)
- Higher quality stock must be justified
(DG 3718-00201338)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
*Most common documentation:
http://www.dbs.umd.edu/copy/prices.ph
p.
- Off campus provider without
justification as to why an oncampus provider is
insufficient
6
4970
Space Rental
- Room rental
- Venue rental
- Time period of rental
- Venue capacity (must not be more
than Anticipated Attendance (DG 497000201340)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- If an off-campus space, must
demonstrate why on-campus space is
insufficient (DG 4970-00201341)
- Off campus provider without
justification as to why an oncampus provider is
insufficient (DG 497000201341)
3220
Telephone
- Phone lines
- Only for groups with office space
outside of Stamp
- Must demonstrate a compelling need
for office phones (DG 3220-00201343)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- OR past phone bills for the same
phone line
- No office space in Stamp
- Non-compelling need for
office phones
3925
Wearing
Apparel
- Costumes
- Uniforms
- Must demonstrate secure on-campus
storage space
- Must demonstrate that items will not
go to the material benefit of individuals;
That is: Wearing Apparel items must be
passed on to future years and members
of the Group (DG 3925-00201344)
- Regular Documentation requirements
(DG 0001-09201301)
- No secure on-campus
storage space demonstrated
- Clothing will ultimately be
owned by the individuals in
the group (and not passed on
to future members)
- Clothing will be a giveaway
3953
Office
Equipment
- Furniture
- Computer
- Hard Drive
- Must demonstrate secure on-campus
storage space
- Regular Documentation
requirements (DG 0001-09201301)
- No secure on-campus
storage space demonstrated
General & Non-Specific Discretionary Guidelines - Fiscal Year 2016
These Guidelines include the Legacy Guidelines (002013), and all FY14 guidelines as denoted by the code xxYEAR,
where xx is the month (ex. September 2014 guidelines are denoted by 092014)
Description
Line
Item
Code
Content
General
0001
09201401 Applications for funding shall be due no less than 30
days in advance of the program for requests of
$1500.00 or less. Requests in excess of $1500.00 shall
be due no less than 60 days in advance of the program.
7
0001
09201402 Applications shall not be accepted more than five (5)
months prior to the program unless reasonable
justification is provided to the Committee on Financial
Affairs. The decision to accept this justification is at the
discretion of the Committee on Financial Affairs.
0001
00201301 Funding Applications are not reviewed unless
submitted under the name of a Treasurer or President of
an SGA recognized student group. The submitting
officer must have been certified at a Budget Training
Workshop that occurred in the current fiscal year
(school year).
0001
00201302 “Insufficient Breakdown”/ “Adjust to Breakdown” is
when the Itemized Breakdown presented for this line
item is not in keeping with the standards stated in the
Manual on Financial Affairs, OR sums to a value that is
unequal to the Total Amount Requested.
0001
00201303 “Insufficient Documentation”/ “Adjust to
Documentation” is when the Documentation presented
for this line item is not in keeping with the standards
stated in the Manual on Financial Affairs, OR is not
reflected in the Itemized Breakdown and/or Total
Amount Requested.
0001
00201305 If the Committee on Financial Affairs can find a
subjectively comparable product to the item requested
at a lower expense, the funding will be adjusted to that
amount.
0001
00201306 Groups that have not received funding for at least the
past four semesters (2 school years) are limited to a
$2,000 cap per program in the first allocation period
they apply.
0001
00201307 Services that are provided for free by either the Stamp
Student Union or any unit at the University of
Maryland (contingent upon the fact that the services are
available to all students at the university) are not
funded.
0001
09201302 It is up to the discretion of the Committee of Financial
Affairs to correct a misclassification of a line item, so
that the program can be reviewed appropriately.
8
0001
03201502 An Application will be considered for funding for a
Program that exceeds $1,500 AND will occur between
30-60 days before the Date of Program IF an
Application has already been submitted during the
current school year, AND is for the same Program,
containing the same specific item(s), AND the Date of
Program is still at least 30 days after the deadline.
0001
11201301 Documentation must be expressed in an official
operating language of the Committee on Financial
Affairs.
0001
11201302 English is an official operating language of the
Committee on Financial Affairs.
0001
11201303 Funding Applications are not reviewed for groups
whose KFS accounts are currently frozen.
0001
11201304 Payments that are due after a Date of Program are
considered reimbursements. Reimbursements are not
funded (BL: Article VII, Sec 4, Sub A:5).
0001
11201305 Programs are only funded if the primary programmers
are undergraduate students at the University of
Maryland, College Park.
0001
03201401 Information and/or documentation that was not
submitted with the original Funding Application may
be considered during an Appeal to the Committee on
Financial Affairs IF AND ONLY IF the new
information and/or documentation directly relates to a
Discretionary Guideline that was enacted during the
deliberation period that the Application was first under
review.
0001
09201404 The Finance Committee reserves the right to treat
multiple applications from the same group during the
same Allocation Period as a single application if the
Committee determines those applications to be for the
same Program.
0001
11201401 If a specific item(s) within a program was initially
approved for funding by the SGA but funding was cut
due to mandatory, across the board cuts, any of those
specific items for the same program (including general
operations) that were already approved to be funded,
but cut will not be funded until the next fiscal year.
9
Non-specific
items
0001
11201403 Expenses for any mode of transportation are capped at the
amount paid per student for the SGA portion of the
student activities fee per academic year (for the 20142015 school year: $57.64) per Anticipated Attendance
(expected attendance). This cap is applied for each round
trip individually.
0001
03201501 A specific item whose purpose is not apparently relevant
to the Program Description will not be funded.
0001
11201501 Any aspect of a program or application that has been
previously funded will not be funded again for that same
instance of the program or application.
0001
02201601 The president and treasurer must be undergraduate
students. The president and treasurer must be accurately
listed on the application and up to date in their group’s
OrgSync external profile.
0001
02201604 Programs utilizing any amount of SGA funding may
only charge admission to cover the per person cost of
expenses directly incurred by the event which are not
funded by the SGA. Programs with all other admission
charges are not funded. Programs may not otherwise
receive any form of payment from undergraduate
students. Mandatory registration, fees, donations, and
other forms of payment are not permitted.
0001
03201601
If a group is requesting funding for an off-campus
program, the group must demonstrate why hosting the
event on campus is insufficient.
0001
04201601
Groups must provide proof of a reservation before asking for
any funding for a program or event that requires a physical
space. If the group has not yet reserved a space, the group
must provide sufficient reasoning for why the space has not
yet been reserved
0001
04201602
Requests for items or services that would violate University,
Local, State, or Federal policy or law will not be funded.
0002
00201308 Programs whose purpose and description are not
apparently relevant to the SGA-recognized Mission
Statement of the group are not funded.
10
0002
00201309 Exclusionary programs are not funded. Programs are
considered exclusionary if: only the target audience
may attend the event, OR specified person(s) or
group(s) may not attend the event.
0002
00201310 Anticipated expenses that have a possibility of not
being incurred are not funded.
0002
00201311 All funds kept in University KFS accounts are exempt
from State of Maryland sales taxes.
0002
09201403 Fundraisers without other sources of funding are not
funded. ‘Other sources of funding’ must be proven to
not include any money allocated from the Student
Activities Fee.
0002
00201313 Free items, Giveaways, Non-uniform wearing apparel,
massage services, and other products/services that are
only for the material benefit of individuals are not
funded.
0002
00201314 Papers that are demonstrated as having an educational
purpose are not considered as a Giveaway.
0002
00201315 Lodging is not funded.
0002
00201316 Funding for non-Conference, event-based fees is
capped at $10 per Quantity of Anticipated Audience
(expected attendance).
0002
03201403 Permanent or semi-permanent structures that require
yearly maintenance and periodic financial support are
not funded.
0002
10201501
0002
10201502 Groups must demonstrate secure, on-campus storage
for all items purchased (past or present) with the
Student Activities Fee.
0002
02201602 If the anticipated attendance on the application exceeds
the anticipated attendance on the space or room rental
reservation documentation, the anticipated attendance
will be adjusted to the attendance on the space or room
rental reservation documentation.
Any item(s) or service(s) of material benefit that primarily
benefit non-students are not funded.
11
Group Help
0002
02201603 If the anticipated attendance on the application exceeds
the capacity of the room or space, the anticipated
attendance will be adjusted to the capacity of the room
or space.
0003
09201305 If a Group Help request includes an off-campus
contractual agreement, it is the discretion of the
Committee on Financial Affairs to determine the
feasibility of processing the payment, based on the
University guidelines.
Feb 2016: 0001-11201402 and 0001-11201405 were deleted and replaced with 0001-02201604
The remainder of the Discretionary Guidelines have been incorporated into and referenced
within the Line Item and Documentation guide table above. The full list of Discretionary
Guidelines can be found as a separate file at:
http://umdsgafinance.weebly.com/manual-on-financial-affairs--discretionary-guidelines.html
On-Campus Resource Index:
Compiled here are some of the most commonly used services by student groups. If you have any
questions about using these resources, contact the Director of Student Groups, Katherine
Swanson ([email protected]).
Student Government Association:
SGA’s goal is to best represent the interests and needs of students. Feel free to contact SGA with
any issues of interest, questions, or general inquiries about how you can get involved in serving
our campus community.
[email protected]
www.mdsga.com
Undergraduate Legal Aid:
For questions about tenant issues, speeding tickets, or other student legal issues, a portion of the
Student Activities Fee is used to fund a salaried lawyer who offers free legal advice and student
defenders who can provide counsel for students in on-campus hearings.
3125 South Campus Dining Hall
301-314-7756
[email protected]
www.studentorg.umd.edu/legalaid
Student Organization Resource Center:
12
SORC is where student groups can access budgets, fill out financial forms, seek fundraising
advice, and ask questions about STARS and OrgSync. SORC also handles all transactions from
student group FRS accounts.
B0107 Adele H. Stamp Student Union (Spring 2016 Address)
Office hours: 10AM - 6PM, M-F
301-314-7158
[email protected]
www.thestamp.umd.edu/activities/student_org_resource_center_sorc
Adele H. Stamp Student Union:
Stamp is the central hub of campus where students and student groups can find many resources
for student affairs.
Building hours: 7AM - 12AM, M-Th; 7AM - 1:30AM, F; 8AM - 1:30AM, Sat; 11AM 12AM Sun
301-314-DESK for the information desk
Event and Guest Services:
The Event and Guest Service Office can help with any questions regarding eCalendar
reservations for event space, furniture and event support, audio/visual equipment, and ticketing
services for special events.
1133 Stamp Student Union
301-314-8488
www.thestamp.umd.edu/events/event_services
Technology (IT) Services:
2220 Stamp Student Union
301-314-5555
www.thestamp.umd.edu/shops_services/technology_services
Terrapin Room Audio Visual Request:
The Terrapin rooms contain laptop and projector equipment only.
• Request AV equipment no later than noon of the previous business day
• Email [email protected] with the subject heading TERRAPIN ROOM AV REQUEST
• Include in the email:
o First and Last Name
o Email and Phone
o Event Name/Number
o Event Date and Time
For any questions contact AV Reservations Assistant, Rob Gewain (301-405-0588)
Stamp Marketing:
The Stamp Marketing Office offers free event publicity services for events held in the Stamp
Student Union. From chalking, flyers, surveys, and data collection, filling out an Event
Submission Form and using the Marketing Checklist on their website can help spread the word
about your program.
1133 Stamp Student Union
301-314-8488
www.thestamp.umd.edu/events/marketing
13
Leadership and Community Service Learning:
LCSL promotes positive social change through transformative learning and community
engagement. They host multiple programs, events, a Minor in Leadership Studies, community
service, and many other resources.
0110 Stamp Student Union
301-405-9044
[email protected]
www.thestamp.umd.edu/leadership_community_service_learning
Facilities Management:
Rent equipment like tables, chairs, cables, and limited AV for events outside of Stamp.
301-405-3205
www.facilities.umd.edu
Design and Copy Services:
General printing and copying services. The following offices are part of the Department of
Business Services, offering a wider range of offices and other resources.
Adele H. Stamp Student Union Copy Center
1239 Stamp Student Union
301-405-2679
Reckord Armory Copy Center
0127 Armory
301-405-2679
Tydings Copy Center
1105 Tydings Hall
301-405-1707
Van Munching Copy Center
1406 Van Munching Hall
301-405-2400
Office hours: 8:30AM – 4:30PM, M-F
www.dbs.umd.edu
Signs and Graphics:
The Signs and Graphics Shop provides services for signage, banners, posters, window and
vehicle graphics, dimensional lettering, decals, magnets, name plates, large format digital
printing, and more.
Service Building #003 Room 1215
Office Hours: 6AM – 2:30PM, M-F
Telephone: 301-405-7257
Fax: 301-314-4170
www.facilities.umd.edu/sitepages/signproducts.aspx
Dining Services:
UMD Dining Services provides catering and special delivery.
14
Director’s Office
1109 South Campus
301-314-8054
[email protected]
www.dining.umd.edu
Security:
If an event requires security or other safety measures, the Department of Public Safety can
provide services.
Captain Laura Dyer
Service Building #003
Rossborough Lane
301-405-3555
[email protected]
www.umpd.umd.edu
Motor Transportation Services:
For complete information about renting vehicles and transportation-related services, visit the
MTS website (www.dbs.umd.edu/motor) or email ([email protected]).