First thing first, where does the money for the SGA budget come from? We are funded through the student activity fee. Because of this, we try to make sure each dollar we spend will have a direct positive impact on campus and the student body. The following is a break down of each of our line items and expenses, and how they impact individual students.

 
WJSC and Basement Medicine are funded through the SGA and your student activity dollars, so make sure to listen in and pick up a copy every other Thursday. The SGA dispenses a scholarship each spring using the general scholarship form, so be on the lookout.

 
Two of the remaining line items in the budget are phenomenal events that take place each spring. The Ally Dinner, hosted by JSC Pride Alliance, reaffirms our commitment to being a safe and inclusive campus, and each year they honor someone from the wider community. This year is the 40th annual Casino Night, on March 24, 2017. The theme is yet to be revealed, but this event is largely considered the biggest night on campus during the whole year, and always promises to be a great evening filled with friends, food and prizes — all for a great cause.

 
Mini grants are given out to individuals or student groups that are planning to attend conferences, events, or trips that will further their career path or academic goals. We strive to make extracurricular activities a financial reality for students, often by funding conference registration fees that are impossible to pay out of pocket. We would be happy to discuss the application process and applicable events if you stop by our office in Stearns 411.

 
Club funds and matched funds are both reserved for SGA-recognized clubs, which are simple to form with seven interested members. The SGA will match every dollar a club makes, up to $600 per club, per year. This doubles the hard work of fundraising that our clubs do to make their activities possible. Club funds are used for general club events that are open to the public and that have a direct positive impact on student life on campus.

 
Office expenses keep our space running smoothly, and since our space is the students space, we think this is very important! This year our budget was considerably higher, because our computers had been malfunctioning for several years. However, we are happy to report that we love the new ones, and our office maintains all the previous amenities — stop by to make a poster or, in the coming weeks, pick up a book from the 24-hour TV lounge, as part of our new book exchange.

 
Projects take up the largest chunk of our budget, because they enable senators to work on projects that are brought up by students, for students. We have heard many suggestions through our campaign “99 Problems and You Can Solve One” and we look forward to working on these and others throughout the academic year to make everyday life for students at JSC that much better.

 
Do you have thoughts on how we can spend your money to improve campus? Submit an idea online at jsc.formstack.com/forms/99problems or stop by the office. The SGA is here for you, so do not hesitate to reach out!