SAC freezes funding for new student groups

The Student Activities Council voted Thursday to institute a temporary moratorium preventing new student groups from receiving recognition and funding because of SAC’s financial situation.

SAC — which funds approximately 300 student groups on campus — will continue to support groups that currently rely on its funding. However, it will not accept any new requests until the moratorium is lifted.

Rodney Robinson, the Office of Student Affairs’ adviser to SAC, credited this mandate to the fact that SAC’s reserve fund — which usually averages around $300,000 — dipped below $100,000 last fall.

College junior and SAC chairman Vinay Rao also cited the $100,000 reserve fund as “the red flag” that led to the moratorium.

Rao estimated this freeze will last for up to a semester. “It’s a temporary moratorium, not an end all, be all,” he said, adding that the moratorium is a “preemptive” measure to ensure that SAC will be able to “keep functioning at the optimal level” for the student groups it currently supports.

In an e-mail to the Undergraduate Assembly, Rao explained further that a “reevaluation of SAC funding policies, implementing a new debt initiative program and advocating for more funding from [Penn Student Government]” will be necessary for the moratorium to be lifted.

Rao attributed the dip in SAC’s reserve funds to an “exponential increase” in student groups that sought SAC funds last semester.

Wharton and Nursing senior GJ Melendez-Torres, who represents the UA on the SAC executive committee, agreed. The moratorium will allow Penn Student Government to “pause and stabilize the situation. There is a financial strain to keep up with the demand [of active student groups],” he said.

College senior and former SAC chairwoman Ali Huberlie identified the “historical debt” acquired by student groups over the years as a factor that led to SAC’s current financial situation.

In response, Rao asserted that the debt of student groups is “not necessarily the impetus, but what’s compounding [SAC’s financial situation]”.

College senior and UA president Matt Amalfitano expressed concern over SAC’s financial situation.

“It’s difficult to swallow. It’s the appropriate fix for right now but it’s still a very short-term solution,” he said. “And we are willing to do everything we can to bail SAC out.”

Although Amalfitano is willing to aid SAC in its financial strain, he cited debt as a significant facet of the issue and explained that “debt is a collective problem.”

“[The solution will be] the combination of the UA, SAC and the individual student groups,” he added.

The Performing Arts Council and the Sports Club Council currently have moratoriums instituted as well, according to Rao.

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