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Frequently Asked Questions

I need some money for my club's event. Where should I go?

Well, you are on the right track. On the Budgetary Committee's web site (http://www.amherst.edu/~budgetary/), you will find all the information you need to request funds for your event. First, you should check your club's budget allocations for the semester in the Semesterly Budget Allocations to make sure that you haven't already received the funds. Second, you should fill out the Discretionary Request form on the forms page. You will want to be as specific as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving funding.

So then what?

You will be contacted by a member of the Budgetary Committee that has been appointed to serve your club. You will need to meet with him/her and go over your request in detail. You will also need to attend the weekly Budgetary Committee meeting, which is at 7:30 PM on Wednesday. At this meeting the Budgetary Committee will make its official recommendations to the AAS Senate.

So the Budgetary Committee approved my request. Can I have the money now?

Hold on, hot shot. The Budgetary Committee can only make recommendations; only the AAS Senate has the power to allocate funds. So you will need to go the AAS Senate meeting, which is held at 8 PM on Mondays. At the meeting, the Budgetary Committee will present your request and the Senate will vote on it. Be prepared to field questions from Senators.

The AAS Senate approved my request. Can I have the money now?

Yes, you can! There are two ways you can access the funds.

1) Pay with your own funds (cash, check, credit cards, etc.) and save the receipt . Fill out a Check Request form. You can find them on the same page that you accessed the Discretionary Request form. You can expect to receive a reimbursement check in the mail in about two weeks.

2) Contact the Treasurer to arrange for a credit card purchase. Please do so 48 hours in advance (treasurers have lives, too!). Please only use this option if the purchase is large or unfeasible for you to do on your own.

So how long does this whole process take?

You should submit your Discretionary Request a minimum of 2 weeks before your activity. The Budgetary Committee will try to consider requests with shorter lag time, but we can not ensure that the funding will be in place before the event.

I want some money to hold such and such event/ have someone lecture/start a new club/ print a new publication, etc. Where do I go get the money?

First off, you need to remember that the AAS receives three to five times the amount it has in its coffers in requests every semester. So think about your request closely make sure that it is viable, cost-effective, and will augment student welfare on campus. Once you are confident that your request does these things, submit a request to the Budgetary Committee.

What next?

You can meet with anyone on the Budgetary Committee to review your request. Be prepared to answer probing questions about your request. You will then need to go through the same steps as any club leader.

I Want Some Money to Put Up Posters/ Get Food/ Etc. How Much Does The Senate Usually Give?

We're glad you asked. On the Budgetary Committee web site, you can access the Budgetary Committee's Booklet on suggested allocations. These are the guidelines that the Budgetary Committee will follow when approving commonly-requested things. Please request accordingly. Should you feel that your request needs more than these suggested amounts, you may request more. However, please be prepared to explain such requests in depth at the Budgetary Committee meeting.

Wait! My Event is supposed To Happen Before I Can Complete The BC Process. What Should I Do?

Well, trust us when we say that we want to help you with your event. However, the money that the Budgetary Committee recommends and the AAS Senate approves belongs to everyone. Every student contributes about $200 each semester to the pot. So we try to do our best to dole it out as equitably as possible. This is best achieved when we know about the activity beforehand; this lead way allows us to debate the merit of the activity, without time constraints or the fear that a student might be left in the red. Because of this, we will only consider post-facto funding on a case-by-case basis.

But I needed to have the event before I could go through the process.

We understand that this can pose some problems, and we will do everything in our power to get the event funded beforehand. Also, Budgetary Committees in the past have never funded retroactively; we are trying to serve the student body as efficiently and fairly as possible. So please plan ahead.

Who should I contact if I have a question about completing Budgetary Committee Forms?

For questions about forms you should visit BC members during their weekly office hours. If you are unable to make those hours you should contact your BC representative directly.

How do I figure out who my BC representative is?

A list is available on the Members page.

Who should I contact about missing/late checks?

The treasurer is responsible for writing all checks, so questions regarding the status of checks should be addressed to the treasurer her/himself.

Where is the BC office?

Our office is located in the Keefe Campus Center past the mail room. You can ask the Building manager for directions.

Is there a BC credit card available for clubs to use?

Yes, there is a BC credit card that clubs can use. Only the treasurer can authorize the use of the card. If you need to use the card for any reason visit the treasurer during his/her office hours.

How can I get money for an event if it was not in my original budget or I am an individual?

To get money beyond your budget or as an individual you must submit a form for the Discretionary Fund. You may access the form online here. You must then meet with a BC member during his/her office hours. The request will then be discussed/voted on at our weekly meeting on Wednesday nights (9:00 PM in the BC office). These meetings are open, and everyone is invited to come. Based on the vote of the BC, a recommendation is made to the Senate at its Monday night meeting (9:00 PM in the Red Room). The Senate then votes whether or not to pass the recommendations or to change them.

When do I need a contract?

You need to fill out a contract anytime you pay someone for their services. If you submit a discretionary request without the appropriate contracts your request will be automatically rejected.

Who should I contact if I have questions about my budget?

All questions concerning your budget should be addressed to the BC member who is in charge of your club which can be found on the members page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting money for club events

Getting money to start a new club or hold an individual event

Other questions