COLUMN: SA grants money requests to help student activities

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by Michael Munson

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This support comes in many forms, whether you want help publicizing an event, need helping hands for an event or need monetary support funding an event.

You pay a blanket tax that goes to several organizations to provide services for all students. The SA receives $2.45, the Rice Thresher receives $7, the Rice Program Council receives $8 and the Campanile receives $24 (which gets you a yearbook worth about $40).

The SA provides various publications, including the campus directory, the Newcomers Guide and the Silver Saver card at no additional cost to students.

But we allot a significant portion of this money to support other students in their own ventures.

Do you have a worthwhile project? We may be able to help. To ensure that the SA can consider money requests effectively, we have developed a simple procedure for every organization or individual approaching the SA.

Remember that we meet every Monday night at 10 p.m. in Kelley Lounge of the RMC.

Just follow these steps:

* Obtain an "SA Appropriations Request Form" from the door of the SA Office on the second floor of the RMC (above Academic Advising).

* Complete the application and return it to the proper envelope on the SA Office door no later than 5 p.m. Sunday if you would like the request to be considered the next day at the Monday meeting.

* Come to the Kelly Lounge by 9:45 p.m. in case we (Appropriations Committee) have any questions for you before the meeting. Hang around during the meeting to answer any questions other SA members may have for you.

As a general guideline, the SA rarely grants more than one or two hundred dollars to a specific project.

Of course there are the few exceptions, but do not expect the SA to finance the entirety of a $1,000 project. That would only be unfair to the other good ideas that need our financial support.

The SA generally supports projects that will benefit the Rice community as a whole.

Also, in considering money requests, the SA likes to see that groups have sought money from other resources, i.e. colleges, fundraisers, dues or the community.

We are here to make things happen on this campus.

If you have identified a way to enrich the Rice atmosphere and experience, then by all means view the SA as a tool to accomplish this goal.

Just follow this simple procedure, and we'll be more than happy to help.

To get in touch with members of the Appropriations Committee, write or call us: Michael Munson (Hanszen) at munson@owlnet. rice.edu or 790-0906; Brian Hoblit (Lovett) at hoblit@owlnet.rice. edu or 527-4969; Michael Tuckman (Lovett) at 630-8614.

Michael Munson is a Hanszen College junior and the SA treasurer.

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the September 8, 1995 issue.

Copyright © 1996 The Rice Thresher. All Rights Reserved.
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