What is the Student Life Fund?
The purpose of the Student Life Fund is to enhance campus life and individual student development at Grand Valley State University. It consists of funds allocated annually by the GVSU Board of Trustees as well as the Reserve Account, which contains funds unused from prior fiscal years. Currently, the budget equals approximately $1.2M. This fund is available to all registered student organizations to help fund on-campus programs and individual travel. Along with student organizations, many departments and categories across campus receive financial help from the Student Life Fund, including Club Sports, Student Media (Lanthorn, GVTV, WCKS), and Campus Activities Board.
Student Senate works to allocate these funds through the Appropriations Funding Board and the Cultural Funding Board. This is a student-led process with administrative oversight from the Office of Student Life. Each week the funding boards meet to vote on individual requests. Student organizations will know the day of the funding board meeting if their request was approved, denied, or adjusted. The funding boards try to create an atmosphere that is welcoming to students. These funding board meetings are not meant to intimidate students, but instead, help students with the goals of their student organization.
The Student Life Fund's total budget is passed by a majority vote of the GVSU Student Senate at the end of the winter semester every academic year. The budget is a reflection of the yearly allocations and needs of the student body at that time.
Reach out to our Vice President for Allocations, Ben Biermacher, at [email protected] for more information or to get involved and attend a meeting.
The Appropriations Funding Board and Cultural Funding Board are comprised of the following:
Appropriations Board
Appropriations Board Members:
- Student Senate Vice President for Allocations
- Student Senators
- Students not involved in Student Senate
Administrative Members:
Bri Slager, Assistant Director of Student Organizations
Cultural Funding Board
Cultural Funding Board Members:
- Student Senate Vice President for Allocations
- Student Senate Vice President for Diversity Affairs
- Student Senators
- GVSU students involved in cultural organizations
Administrative Members:
Bri Slager, Assistant Director of Student Organizations
Approved Budgets (2020-2023)
|
Category |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
2021-2022 |
2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Graduate Student Association |
$110,000 |
$110,000 |
$110,000 |
$110,000 |
|
Academic Conference Fund |
$30,000 |
$30,000 |
$30,000 |
$30,000 |
|
Academic & Professional |
$12,500 |
$9,500 |
$9,500 |
$14,500 |
|
Cultural |
$85,000 |
$85,000 |
$85,000 |
$79,000 |
|
Performing Arts |
$11,000 |
$11,000 |
$11,000 |
$11,000 |
|
Student Senate |
$22,000 |
$20,000 |
$20,000 |
$20,000 |
|
Service and Advocacy |
$31,000 |
$27,000 |
$27,000 |
$20,000 |
|
Travel |
$85,300 |
$85,300 |
$85,300 |
$70,000 |
|
Greek Life Council |
$17,500 |
$20,000 |
$25,000 |
$30,000 |
|
Honorary/Professional |
$2,000 |
$1,500 |
$1,500 |
$1,500 |
|
Special Interest |
$28,000 |
$24,000 |
$24,000 |
$24,000 |
|
Interfaith |
$7,000 |
$5,000 |
$5,000 |
$10,000 |
|
Club Sports and Recreation |
$451,500 |
$456,500 |
$456,500 |
$456,500 |
|
Total |
$892,800 |
$884,800 |
$889,800 |
$876,500 |
Other Allocations
|
Category |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
2021-2022 |
2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Student Media (the Lanthorn, WCKS "Whale" Radio, GVTV, Media Equipment Reserve) |
$103,300 |
$103,300 |
$103,300 |
$103,300 |
|
Campus Activities Board |
$193,000 |
$196,000 |
$196,000 |
$200,000 |
|
RSO Supply Station ("Creation Station") |
$7,500 |
$7,500 |
$7,500 |
$7,500 |
|
Lakerlink |
$9,000 |
$14,000 |
$14,000 |
$14,000 |
|
Sustainability Development |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
|
RSO Media Services |
$10,000 |
$10,000 |
$10,000 |
$10,000 |
|
Presidents Ball |
$45,000 |
$45,000 |
$45,000 |
$45,000 |
|
Student Org Recognition |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$5,300 |
|
RSO Promotional Services |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$4,000 |
|
Unallocated Reserve |
$5,000 |
$5,000 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
|
Total |
$375,300 |
$383,300 |
$378,300 |
$391,600 |
Approved Budgets (2015-2019)
|
Category |
2015-2016 |
2016-2017 |
2017-2018 |
2018-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Academic & Professional |
$20,000 |
$20,000 |
$20,000 |
$12,500 |
|
Cultural |
$80,000 |
$90,000 |
$80,000 |
$80,000 |
|
Honorary |
$4,000 |
$4,000 |
$500 |
$2,000 |
|
Interfaith |
$8,000 |
$8,000 |
$10,000 |
$7,000 |
|
Performing Arts |
$20,000 |
$15,000 |
$10,500 |
$10,500 |
|
Service and Advocacy |
$50,000 |
$59,000 |
$34,000 |
$31,000 |
|
Special Interest |
$30,000 |
$35,000 |
$45,000 |
$28,000 |
|
Travel Fund |
$60,000 |
$77,000 |
$79,000 |
$85,300 |
|
$396,000 |
$396,000 |
$425,000 |
$440,000 |
|
|
Recreation Sports |
$6,000 |
$4,000 |
$6,000 |
$6,000 |
|
$34,000 |
- |
- |
$14,500 |
|
|
Council Sub Total |
$708,000 |
$708,000 |
$710,500 |
$716,800 |
|
$160,000 |
$150,000 |
$170,000 |
$160,000 |
|
|
$70,000 |
$65,000 |
$80,000 |
$89,200 |
|
|
$40,000 |
$40,000 |
$40,000 |
$33,000 |
|
|
Creation Station |
$10,000 |
$10,000 |
$7,500 |
$7,500 |
|
$40,000 |
$45,000 |
$40,000 |
$45,000 |
|
|
Sustainability & Community Development Initiative |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
|
Student Senate Internal Operating Budget |
$25,000 |
$25,000 |
$20,000 |
$22,000 |
|
OrgSync |
$9,000 |
$9,000 |
$9,000 |
$9,000 |
|
Media Services |
$10,000 |
$10,000 |
$10,000 |
$10,000 |
|
Total Less Reserves |
$1,074,500 |
$1,064,500 |
$1,089,500 |
$1,095,500 |
|
Reserve Fund |
$66,000 |
$29,279.25 |
$61,292.25 |
TBD |