2017
• Completion is MANDATORY to receive funding for the year
• Treasurer MUST attend a Finance Orientation
• Senators and Presidents encouraged to attend
• Refer to the GSG website for available Orientation dates
• Organizations must complete the separate Recognition Process
and Workshop through Campus Activities
 Sometimes new USC policies require us to add, remove, or change our GSG Finance Policies.
 Any changes to GSG Finance Policies or Deadlines are supported by the GSG Executive Board,
and are communicated directly to Senators and through all available media streams.
 Organizations are responsible for following said media streams, as recommended by GSG, and
for holding Senators responsible for conveying vital information. Organizations are therefore
responsible for and expected to follow all new policies and/or deadlines.
 Keep in mind that not all events are guaranteed funding if they have been funded in the past.
Policies change over time, so only applications for events that adhere to the current Funding
Policies and the Funding Process below will be considered.
Umbrella Organization
• Overarching organization representing the majority graduate student
population within a school/department.
Sub-Umbrella Organization
• Smaller organizations within the same school/department with more specific
interests than the general Umbrella Organization. Sub-Umbrellas are ranked
under their respective Umbrella Organizations.
Independent Organization
• An organization which is not associated with an Umbrella Organization, but
is subjected to Sub-Umbrella guidelines.
Recognized Student Organization (RSO)
• Status obtained by completing Recognition process through Campus
Activities. Organizations must have to status to request funding.
Budget Proposal Form
• A form available on the GSG website to be submitted 5 weeks in advance to request
funding for an organization event. It must include amount requested, event description,
line items with costs, etc.
Expense Request Form
• A form available on the GSG website to be submitted after approval of the Budget
Proposal and 3 weeks in advance of the event. Submit a separate Expense Request Form
for EACH different vendor used.
Event Evaluation Form
• A form available on the GSG website to be submitted after an event which documents
attendance and overall success for the purpose of future funding considerations.
Internal Requisition
Purchase Order
• Referred to as an IR
• Fast payment process within
USC departments and vendors.
• Referred to as a PO
• Slower payment process to
external businesses in contract
with USC.
P-Card
• Credit card used for Smart
and Final purchases only,
managed by Finance Interns.
Intent to Use Form
• A form available on the GSG website for Umbrella Organizations to complete
expressing the intent to use organizational funds. This form must be
submitted in the fall semester or said funds will be forfeited.
Organizational Fund Distribution Program Form
• A form available through the Director of Finance for Umbrella Organizations
to complete in order to receive a lump disbursement of organizational funds.
The form details the requirements and responsibilities and acts as a contract
between the organization and GSG.
Discretionary Fund
•
•
•
$4 per student per year
open to all organizations
available on a first-come-first-served
basis
Organizational Fund
•
•
•
•
Sustainability Fund
•
•
•
•
•
$1 per student per year
3yr pilot (2014-17) for a Green Fund
a committee approves proposals
open to all organizations
available on a first-come-first-served
basis.
$9 per enrolled student per semester
available to Umbrella Orgs
can be used for closed events
Sub-Umbrellas may only access by
requesting an allocation from their
respective Umbrellas
Joint Fund
•
•
•
Volunteer Fund
•
•
•
$1 per student per year
open to all organizations for
volunteer or community service
events
available on a first-come-first-served
basis.
$1 per student per year
open to all events organized by two
or more organizations from two or
more distinct schools/departments
available on a first-come-first-served
basis
Social Justice Fund
•
•
•
$1 per student per year
open to all organizations for social
justice related events
available on a first-come-first-served
basis.
Discretionary $2,500/semester cap
Joint ∙ Volunteer ∙ Sustainability ∙ Social Justice
First-come-first-served, no cap
•
Umbrella Organizations represent the
majority of the school’s population
•
Sub-Umbrellas represent sub-sets of that
population (more specific interests)
•
Discretionary, Joint, Volunteer,
Sustainability, and Social Justice Funds are
available to Umbrellas and Sub-Umbrellas
•
Organization Funds are available to
Umbrellas ONLY
•
Sub-Umbrellas can request Organization
Funds from their respective Umbrella
organizations
Organization Funds
$9/student/semester
Umbrella
Sub-Umbrella
Sub-Umbrella
• Must obtain/maintain RSO status every academic year
• Must have treasurer attend a Finance Orientation every academic year
• Must submit forms in completion and without significant error
• Erroneous/incomplete forms with be automatically rejected
• Must adhere to all application deadlines
• Budget Proposals – AT LEAST 5 weeks in advance of event
• Expense Report – AT LEAST 3 weeks in advance of event
• Summer applications must be submitted by first week of April
• Earlier submission encouraged and appreciated
• Events funded by GSG (except Org. Funds) must:
• Be open to all graduate students
• Abide by allocation rules
• Purchase non-perishable items only
(example: food)
• Use approved vendors (accept PO’s)
• GSG Funds (except Org. Funds) may not be used
for:
• Clothing items
• Retreats
• Gift Cards
• GSG Funds (including Org. Funds) may not be used
for:
• Be advertised on the GSG calendar
• Reimbursements
• Include the GSG logo on promotional
material
• Alcohol
• Executive member meetings
• An Event Evaluation form must be submitted after the event.
• Recipient information must be provided for any honorariums, gifts, or
prizes
• Receipts and invoices must be turned in to the Finance Interns
([email protected]) within 5 working days of the event
•A PO will always require an invoice. An IR may have an invoice
and/or receipts.
•If not within 5 days, Organization is Blue Listed – no immediate
funding
•If not within 10 days, Organization is Black Listed – prohibits
funding for the semester following the offense (ex. if listed in the
spring semester, funding prohibited in the fall semester)
• Only fee-paying graduate students are considered as attendees to events
(exceptions: events funded by the Volunteer or Social Justice Funds)
• Organizations can only request $2,500 from each fund per semester
• Organization Funds are available to Umbrellas at $9 per student enrolled
in the Umbrella’s program per semester
• Umbrellas can allocate Organization Funds to Sub-Umbrellas upon request
• Joint, Volunteer, Social Justice, and Sustainability Funds availability
depends upon account balances
• Event must be appropriately themed
• Proposals are considered on a case-by-case basis by the
Finance Committee and/or Executive Board
• Volunteer and Social Justice Funds may be used for nongraduate student attendees, but meal allocation rules apply
Meals
•
•
•
Breakfast (8am-11am):
$8/person
Lunch (11am-4pm):
$12/person
Dinner (4pm-8pm):
$16/person
•
Snacks (Coffee, etc.):
$5/person
•
No two meals will be
sponsored for the same
event (snacks not
included in restriction)
Raffles/Gifts
Honorariums
•
First Prize: $75
•
$1,000 cap per year
•
Second Prize: $50
•
•
Third Prize: $25
Requests for more than
$1,000 will be considered
based on impact on the
USC community
•
Only for Org-run events
•
Transferred as IR to
department or check
through Kuali
Transportation
•
Buses transportation
funded on a case-by-case
basis
•
Generally used for
Volunteer and Social
Justice events
•
Parking for USC paid
through IR
• All allocation maximums are subject to evaluation of
the event and perceived benefit to the community
• Personal expense (reimbursement) is only allowed if
PO/IR and/or P-Card options are not available
• Any reimbursements must be approved by the
Finance Director 1 week in advance
• Unused Funds must be returned to the University at
the end of the spring semester.
• Umbrellas may request a lump
disbursement of all Organization
Funds to a responsible department
administrator.
• A contract must be submitted to the
Finance Director each semester
unless otherwise noted.
• The responsible administrator must
keep records of expenses and send a
report upon request.
Become an RSO
Provide receipts
within 5 working
days after event
Submit Budget
Proposal 5 Weeks
in Advance
•Immediate Denial
•Too many errors/deadline issue
•Not clear enough to resolve easily
•Denial within 48 hours
•If no response to initial follow up
•Funding may not be guaranteed in time
Wait for response
Move on or
resubmit
Wait for response
Pick up IR/use PO
reference number
Submit Expense
Report 3 weeks in
advance for EACH
vendor
•Denial within 2 weeks
•If issues have not been resolved
•Funding is improbable due to deadlines
Finance
Committee
Directors of
Finance
Executive Board
•
Meets Mondays 12-2pm
•
Meets Thursdays 6-8pm
•
Reviews apps under
$1,000
•
Reviews apps over $1,000
•
•
Director of Finance Office
Hours:
Mondays 2-4pm
Thursdays 4-6pm
Alternative meeting times
can be arranged
Contact
Information
•
Director of Finance:
[email protected]
•
Finance Interns:
[email protected]
•
GSG Office:
TCC224
213-740-5649