The Washburn Student Government Association recently passed a new direct funding system through the Student Senate this past Wednesday, April 30. This system will allow student organizations with on-campus events to use WSGA monies directly to purchase items through online orders rather than relying on reimbursement. The changes will come into effect at the start of the 2025/2026 fall academic year.
Student organization requests will be eligible for direct funding provided the following restrictions are met:
- The request must not exceed $1,500.
a. The request must be for goods purchasable online.
b. The request must detail each individual item to be purchased.
c. The items must be returnable to the vendor.
2. The request must be for an on-campus event.
3. Each student organization may only be eligible for two direct funding requests per semester.
“This policy change has been needed by our student organizations for several years,” Former President George Burdick said. “Especially with the given price increases of the 2020s, these changes will enable student organizations without as many financial resources to do more with less. In the future, we hope that this program will be expanded to off-campus events and the restriction for two requests per semester will be removed.”
The current version of the direct funding system is intended as a pilot program to work out potential issues. Future changes to the system may be announced and passed through the Student Senate in upcoming semesters.
Thanks go out to former WSGA Budget Director Nick Lloyd, former allocations committee Chairman Alex Timm, former President Burdick, former Vice President Bella Wood, current Budget Director Ginn, current Vice President Ryan Durst, current President Kate Coulter, and a big thank you to Senator Jullian Hastings for initiating this project. In addition, support and assistance from the Office of Student Life and the Office of Student Involvement and Development has been instrumental in enacting this policy.
“It has been amazing to see this be realized in our time at Washburn,” Wood said. “This idea has circulated for years but never been worked out enough to be realized until now. This team has been driven to advocate for better availability and purposes behind student resources. We thank them for their dedication and hope that this is another step forward in building a better campus for all students.”
Students with further questions should reach out to the WSGA Budget Director by emailing [email protected]
Student organizations who are interested in requesting WSGA funds may do so here.
Edited by Jeremy Ford.
