A.S. Dollars

How to Request Money from the Associated Students

Throughout this information there is text that is linked directly to additional information, as well as PDFs of the forms that are required to request funds - simply click on the highlighted text.

I. Introduction

The Associated Students is a $20 million, 501[c]3 non-profit auxiliary of San Diego State University. In this capacity, we are the student voice of the University, as well as the owners/operators of several on and off-campus facilities. We are one of four San Diego State auxiliary organizations, the others being: The Campanile Foundation (philanthropy), The San Diego State University Research Foundation (development), and Aztec Shops (commerce).

As a recognized student organization at San Diego State, you may or may not be eligible to receive funding from the Associated Students. We fund the following groups:

• Student Organizations who recruit & retain underrepresented students1
• College Councils & subsidiary academically oriented organizations2
• AS Boards & Committees

In addition to funding these student groups, we also fund Cultural Arts and Special Events, High School Conference Committee Events, and limited Student Travel.

If your student organization or event falls into one of the categories mentioned above, please use this guide to properly request and expend Associated Students funding.

If your student organization or event does not fall into one of these categories, please refer to the AS Fundraising Resource Guide to effectively raise funds for your student organization or event.

The financial duties of the Associated Students are delegated to the Finance Board, Cultural Arts and Special Events Board (for cultural arts activities) and High School Conference Committee (for events to recruit and retain students from underrepresented groups)1. All decisions made by the Finance Board are subject to the approval of both the AS Executive Committee and the AS Council. Your funds will be available after AS Council approval. The AS Council meets the Wednesday following the Monday Finance Board meeting.

If you have any questions, or need clarification, please contact the AS Accounting Office at 619-594-6487.

1 A student organization that recruits and retains underrepresented students does so by planning and executing a High-School Conference. This group will also work with the High School Conference Committee of the Associated Students.

2 A College Council exists in each academic College. These Councils oversee funding of academically oriented student organizations in their College. For example, the College of Business Administration has the ABSC (Associate Business Student Council), under which exist a number of organizations such as: AMA (American Marketing Association), FIS (Finance Investment Society), SAS (Student Accounting Society), etc.

II. Dates & Deadlines

Finance Board Meetings

The Finance Board meets Mondays at 1:00 PM in the Presidential Suite in Lower Aztec Center on an established schedule when classes are in session. (The Board does not meet for Action items each week. See schedule below.)

Submitting Items for Action

All items coming to the Finance Board for consideration must be reviewed at an action meeting. All items being submitted for an action meeting must be submitted to the A.S. Business Office, in Lower Aztec Center by 4:00 PM one week prior to the Finance Board Action meeting.

The 2007-2008 Action Meeting Schedule

• September: 24
• October: 1, 15, 29
• November: 5
• December: 3
• January: 28
• February: 11, 25
• March: 10, 24
• April: 14, 21, 28
• May: 5

Eligibility Requirements

Your entity will not be eligible to access your funds until you meet the following requirements:

1. Entity appoints and reports a Financial Officer (will act as a financial liaison between the entity and the AS VP Finance.)
2. Financial officer attends the mandatory AS Dollars orientation (see below.)
3. Financial officer's name, e-mail, & telephone number are on file with the AS Business Office.

Annual AS Dollars Mandatory Orientation

The financial officer from each AS-Funded group (AS Board/Committee, Student Organization, & College Council) must attend the mandatory AS Dollars orientation. Contact the A.S. Business Office at 619-594-6487 for the next scheduled presentation. This orientation will be held in the Aztec Center. If you fail to attend this meeting, there will be a make-up meeting held six weeks later at the same times and place.

Deadlines

The Deadline for budget revisions (Approval of Funds, transfers from unallocated, etc.) is the last business day of December (for fall) and the last business day of April (for spring).

The Deadline for reimbursements is the last business day of January (for fall receipts) and the last business day of May (for spring receipts).

College Councils must submit a budget by the first Friday in October. College Councils will not be able to access funds until this budget is submitted and approved.

Student Organizations and A.S. Boards must work with the VP Finance and submit a budget request for the next fiscal year by the last Friday in February.

III. Requesting/ Transferring Funds

AS Boards / Committees

AS Boards / Committees must work with the VP Finance and submit a budget request for the next fiscal year by the last Friday in February.

If an AS Board or Committee wishes to request additional funds from AS General Unallocated, it may do so by submitting a Finance Board Proposal Form (PDF) to the A.S. Business Office for inclusion on the next Finance Board agenda.

If an AS Board or Committee wishes to transfer funds between line items, it may do so by submitting an Approval of Funds Form (PDF) to the A.S. Business Office. If the amount is less than $200, the VP Finance may approve the transfer and the item will not go to the Finance Board.

College Councils

College Councils are funded according to the following formula:

As a baseline amount, each College Council is given 50% of the amount it spent in the prior fiscal (7/1 thru 6/30) year. The sum of the College Council baseline amounts is subtracted from the College Council Pool. A portion of the remaining amount is divided proportionally according to the total number of majors in each college and the balance is placed in a College Council-Unallocated fund for non-travel-related requests.

College Councils must submit a budget by the first Friday in October. College Councils will not be able to access funds until this budget is submitted and approved.

If a College Council wishes to request additional funds from AS College Council Unallocated, it may do so by submitting a Finance Board Proposal Form (PDF) to the A.S. Business Office for inclusion on the next Finance Board agenda.

If a College Council wishes to transfer funds between line items, it may do so by submitting an Approval of Funds Form (PDF) to the A.S. Business Office for including on the next Finance Board agenda. If the amount is less than $200, the VP Finance may approve the transfer and the item will not go to the Finance Board.

Student Organizations

Student Organizations must work with the VP Finance and submit a budget request for the next fiscal year by the last Friday in February.

If a Student Organization wishes to request additional funds from AS General Unallocated, it may do so by submitting a Finance Board Proposal Form (PDF) to the A.S. Business Office for inclusion on the next Finance Board agenda.

If a Student Organization wishes to transfer funds between line items, it may do so by submitting an Approval of Funds Form (PDF) to the A.S. Business Office. If the amount is less than $200, the VP Finance may approve the transfer and the item will not go to the Finance Board.

Cultural Events

All Cultural Events must be funded through the Cultural Arts & Special Events Board (CASE). This includes speakers, artists, performers, film festivals, etc. The maximum sponsorship from CASE is $1,000 per group, per year. You must complete the CASE Co-Sponsor Fund Request (PDF) and submit it to the A.S. Business Office at least eight weeks prior to the event for inclusion on the next CASE agenda.

Student Travel

Student travel requests are limited to a maximum of $500 per organization per academic year. See Travel Policies and the Travel Packet. Review the Travel Policies, complete and submit the Travel Packet and Travel Request Form to the A.S. Business Office. The Finance Board will review all Travel Requests.

High School Conferences

All High School Conference Requests will be made through the High School Conference Committee.

IV. Expenditure Guidelines

General Expenditure Policies of the Associated Students:

Grants:

A.S. funds may not be used for grants.

Income:

All income collected from all activities using the name and/or funds of the Associated Students must be collected in an approved manner and deposited to A.S. accounts.

Political Activities:

Title 5 of the state administrative code, Section 42403 states:

Funds of an auxiliary organization shall be used for purposes consistent with Board of Trustee and campus policy, and shall not be used:

(1) To support or oppose any candidate for public office, whether partisan or not, or to support or oppose any issue before the voters of this state or any subdivision thereof or any city, municipality, or local governmental entity of any kind except as may be permitted by Section 89300 of the Educational Code.

Campus policy may further define guidelines relating to expenditure of A.S. funds on political activities.

Promotions:

All materials printed for public distribution (flyers, posters, banners, advertisements) with A.S. funds should reference affiliation with the Associated Students.

Speakers and Entertainment:

All speaker and entertainment expenses must be allocated through the Cultural Arts and Special Events Board. For more information visit the CASE website at case.sdsu.edu.

Events funded by the A.S. shall be open to all SDSU students, adequately publicized on campus, reference affiliation with the Associated Students and be held on the SDSU campus. Programs funded by the A.S. where admission is charged shall give at least a $.50 price discount to enrolled SDSU students.

A.S. funds may not be used to pay for CSU faculty speaking on the subject whom they are employed to teach. Students may be paid for presentations only if they have a curriculum vita that demonstrates they have background knowledge, skills or experience on the topic of the lecture.

High School Conference Funding:

All allocations for this purpose shall be made through the High School Conference Committee of SDSU, not through Associated Students.

Specific Expenditure Policies of the Associated Students

Each account is sub-divided into line items (food, supplies, promotions, etc.) and each line item is subject to the following expenditure guidelines:

Promotions (#6400):

Allocations may be made for:

• Banners
• Clothing with promotional messages
• Printing and postage for informational bulletins may be funded only if they exclude opinion articles and are for information only.
• Copies of informational flyers
• Buttons, stickers, bumper stickers

Supplies (#5000):

Allocations may be made for:

• Paper, staples, tape, binders and other supplies intended for general office use.
• Copies of organizational minutes and other general correspondence Scrapbooks or memory books, film, film processing, video tapes or any related items used to recruit under represented students or retain current SDSU students.
• Subscriptions (newspapers, magazines, or books), if the group demonstrates compelling reasons for the use of the publication and can provide a home for the publication that is on campus and accessible for the general student population.

Food (#5520):

Food or food supplies such as plates, cups, napkins, etc. up to $400 per academic year and only if the meeting or event is held on campus and is open to all students. Food for off campus events is allowed only if the event is specified on the Approval of Funds Form (PDF) when the money is allocated to the food account. The money cannot be used to purchase alcoholic beverages or end of the year parties.

Telephones (#6020):

Allocations may be made for telephone reimbursement if it can be documented that the phone was used for the organizations benefit. If the organization has an office in the Aztec Center allocation may be made for telephone service.

Computer Equipment (#8000) and Software (#8010):

Some types of equipment or software expenditures are occasionally funded due to special circumstances. The software purchased must be from an approved vendor and must be assigned to a designated on-campus computer.

The following expenditures are not allowed by the Associated Students

• Consulting Services
• Decorative Pieces including candles, vases, ornaments, decorative art, wrapping paper, etc.
• Gift Certificates
• Newsletters with opinions or Other Publications with opinions
• Office Equipment or Furniture: These include chairs, tables, lamps, telephones, adding machines, cash registers, copying machines, etc.
• Party Favors including hats, streamers, balloons, gag door prizes, etc.
• Rentals of Helium Tanks
• Items for resale

V. Addressing the Finance Board

When addressing the Finance Board, please be prepared to answer questions regarding your proposal. Please send the VP Finance and President of your organization. If these members are not able to attend, please send individuals who will represent your group well and be able to provide educated answers to Finance Board queries.

If you are requesting money from the Board, please provide the Board with a line item budget so that we may see where the requested money will be used. Please bring all backup material and any additional materials that would help us make a decision in your favor.

VI. Additions and Corrections

Please address any additions or corrections regarding this Guide to the A.S. Business Office c/o Israel Garza, Accounting Manager (israel.garza@sdsu.edu).

• Appendix A: FAQ
• Appendix B: Directory
• Appendix C: Forms

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