Organizations recruit new members during the annual Cats Back, held in Student Center South this year. | Haya Panjwani/The Cougar
Every fiscal year, the Student Fees Advisory Committee evaluates campus financial needs based on the previous year’s performance and looks at how it can grow. SFAC released the recommendations for FY2023, and The Cougar’s news desk broke down what organizations asked for as well as what was received.
Activities Funding Board
This organization is requesting funding for student worker wages, office/general supplies, printing/postal freight, professional developments and funding for programs/events.
SFAC reauthorized the Activities Funding Board base budget of $181,120 for FY23. The school approved maintaining its budget at one percent of the student service fees.
A.D. Bruce Religion Center
A.D. Bruce Religion Center asked for an additional one-time request to receive new window treatments and drapes, continuous support in marketing and advertising for outreach purposes, partnership opportunities with programming and events and support for a graduate assistant.
SFAC reauthorized the base budget of $225,380 for FY23 with added merit of $2,728 among approving all one-time requests.
Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
This department’s requests include funding for uniforms, repairs/maintenance, traveling, scholarship stipends, rentals and advertising.
The base budget of $4,407,707 for FY23 was reauthorized and the school recognized facility fees in the amount of $3,417,722.
Spirit of Houston
The band program, also known as the Spirit of Houston, is asking for a traditional request to support the travel needs and support in purchasing instruments for the UH band department.
SFAC reauthorized the base budget of $336,400 for FY23 and approved both requests for new instruments and travel expenses.
Blaffer Art Museum
The Blaffer Art Museum requests continuous funding to create and promote programs to increase the museum’s visibility and student success. This, as well as a one-time request for Blaffer Art and Design as well as studio sessions.
Blaffer Art Museum’s FY23 base budget of $21,500 was reauthorized. SFAC approved the one-time request for the Blaffer Art and Design 2.0 program as long as quantitative data for FY24 is provided to SFAC on the effectiveness of the program. The OT request for studio sessions was also approved.
Business Services
Business Services requested funding for business meals, computer rapids and supplies, parts/furniture, travel and temporary staffing.
SFAC reauthorized the base budget of $890,678 for FY23 with the added base augmentation of $11,619.
Campus Recreation
Campus Recreation was requesting funding for projects to improve the 20-year-old facility. The projects include wood and floor repairs, Gerstner fence, locker room counter replacement, tennis court resurfacing, leisure pool repairs and CRWC cooling tower/boilers repairing.
SFAC reauthorized the base budget for FY23 of $302,493 for programs and opportunities to help improve the student experience during difficult times.
Center for Diversity and Inclusion
Center for Diversity and Inclusion asked for a one-time request for funding for campus MLK Day Celebration including marketing, speaker fees/artist fees and admin fee.
The center is also requesting funding for the Black Women Thrive Initiative which includes a leadership retreat, marketing and program development, program materials as well as admin fee.
SFAC reauthorized the base budget of $354,534 with the added augmentation of $1,827. Both OT requests were approved for funding the Black Women Thrive Initiative and MLK Day Celebration.
Center for Student Involvement
Aside from its base budget of $807,951, the Center for Student Involvement had two one-time requests of the creation of a Registered Student Organization Instructional Assistant position, and additional funding to expand the infraRED Nights events.
All were approved by SFAC, with high hopes from the organization that the funding for the infraRED Nights expansion will draw in more students.
Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life
The Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life one-time requests focused on further involving students in educational experiences and enhancing interpersonal relationships on campus as well as within the community.
In response, SFAC approved its two requests of bringing in an educational speaker and the implementation of Greek Week. This, as well as the base budget request of $363,705 with an added base augmentation of $3,880.
Justin Dart, Jr. Student Accessibility Center
Justin Dart, Jr. Student Accessibility Center had its base budget of $394,338 approved. While it had no one-time requests, SFAC granted the additional base merit of $3,428.
Center for Student Media
The Center for Student Media had a request for an increase of the base budget to $207,841, which SFAC approved.
The one-time requests of an instructional assistant, department and event marketing budget, professional development as well as a conference attendance budget were also approved.
Children’s Learning Centers
The Children’s Learning Centers had no one-time requests and had its base budget of $113,329 approved.
Coog Radio
To continue providing more content, Coog Radio had one-time requests for funding of the new position of equipment manager and a studio computer. Both were approved by SFAC along with the base budget of $49,068.
CoogTV
With UH being accepted into the Big 12, CoogTV’s one-time request for a Sports Producer position was approved, in hopes more sports content would be created.
However, CoogTV’s request for a base budget augmentation to accommodate the stipend increase of its entertainment producer and life and arts producer was denied.
Instead, SFAC approved it as a one-time request for 2023. The approved base budget was $87,139.
Cougars in Recovery
Cougars in Recovery requested a base increase of $89,190. It includes an increase in pay for the position of program manager and more money for professional development events. Both were approved.
Council for Cultural Activities
Council for Cultural Activities had a one-time request for continued funding of their Cultural Taste Houston event in the fall and spring semesters.
The request was approved by SFAC along with a $171,102 base budget.
Counseling and Psychological Services
CAPS requested a $320,661 augmentation of the base budget for FY2023 along with a one-time request of $29,00 for FY2022 training and program efforts for the Jed Campus initiative.
SFAC approved the base budget augmentation request for FY2023, which will allow for a care coordinator and two physiological counselors as well as psychologists.
“The committee would like to commend you for your ability to adapt and serve students in-person and virtually during these difficult times,” the report said. “In the future, the committee would like to see how CAPS progresses into a short-term psychological care organization for students on campus.”
The Cougar
The Cougar’s base budget of $69,772 was reauthorized for FY2023 and the $6,537 FY2022 one-time request for conference travel.
The $6,610 FY 2023 base budget augmentation request for a second news editor was denied, but instead granted as a one-time request for FY2023.
Dean of Students Office
The DOS’ FY2023 base budget augmentation request of a $100,738 increase for a case manager was approved, for a base budget of $1,173,331 approved for FY2023.
The one-time budget request of $26,000 for Campus ESP was approved for FY2023.
DSAES IT Services
SFAC authorized DSAES IT’s FY2023 base budget augmentation request for $14,323, making a total of $995,349 for the approved base budget.
DSAES IT’s one-time requests for professional development and the student affairs computer replacement totaling $73,258 were approved for FY2023.
Frontier Fiesta Association
Frontier Fiesta’s base budget of $189,057 was approved by SFAC for FY2023.
One-time requests for A/V productions and lighting, operations expenses, safety and security and parking lot rental for a total of $334,016 were also approved.
“The committee recognizes your efforts in capturing attendance metrics effectively and optimally and is aware of the unique circumstances that have prevented you from doing so,” the report said. “However, failure to accurately gather attendance data going forward will jeopardize future funding being given for the event.”
Student Health Center
SFAC reauthorized the Student Health Center’s base budget of $2,003,801 for FY2023, denying the base budget augmentation request of $91,372 for a case manager position.
“Your commitment to health and safety does not go unnoticed,” the report said. “However, funding limitations prevented us from funding the BAR request for the case manager position. Know that we value your work and this position, but we simply cannot fund this position for FY23.”
Homecoming Board
The Homecoming Board’s base budget of $80,325 was reauthorized for FY 2023. One-time requests for bed races and summer marketing totaling $21,550 were also approved by SFAC.
“SFAC sees the importance of Homecoming as a long-standing tradition for students and hopes to see it continue to grow,” the report said.
LGBTQ Resource Center
SFAC reauthorized the LGBTQ Resource Center’s base budget of $148,190 for FY2023.
Approved base augmentations including SAGA Squad, programming as well as Sexual Health and Violence prevention educational training totaling $9,540 was also approved. The approved base budget for FY2023 including the augmentations is $157,730.
A one-time request of $5,300 for the Lavender graduation ceremony was also approved for FY2023.
The report noted anticipation for the feedback following the Lavender Graduation Ceremony and SAGA Leadership opportunities.
Metropolitan Volunteer Program
MVP’s base budget of $89,415 was approved by SFAC for FY2023.
One-time FY2023 requests for Feed the Hunger Packathon and Be the MVP, totaling $9,618, were approved as well.
Speech & Debate
Speech and Debate requests remain the same as previous years, where all the organization requests are travel expenses, coaching and administrative funding.
SFAC approved all requests made for this fiscal year along with a $39,992 base budget.
Student Government Association
After the SGA faced recall election for the president and let go of many of the members, the organization requested an additional $1,000 in base funding to work on projects like mental health for students, student involvement and making parking passes affordable.
The school approved reauthorization of the base budget however, SFAC did acknowledge the recall election that struck the SGA, and how that may have affected how legislation and operations of the association affected the progress this year.
Student Program Board
Many landmark events, like Homecoming and Frontier Fiesta, were on the Student Program Boards’ request for this fiscal year.
Both of those projects had the funding approved, as well as a request for a drive-in movie and the student program board cinema. The base budget of $177,117 was also reauthorized.
University Career Services
The new VMOCK software introduced this past year was a part of the UCS’ request for FY23, along with the base budget and a one-time request for a virtual job shadow program.
All three of those requests were approved, along with SFAC requesting more data and metrics to back up the effectiveness of the two software programs totaling out to a $1,177,157 base budget.
Urban Experience Program
The Urban Experiences Program had all of the requests approved; reauthorization of the base budget, a base budget of $286,183 for a new care coordinator, as well as one-time requests for the BEST program, Supporting UH Dreamers programming, Las Comrades program and First-Generation Summer Bridge program.
Veteran Services
The Veteran Services department made a one-time request for programming, in addition to the reauthorization of the base budget of $265,762.
Both requests were approved by the committee, and the department was asked to expand marketing.
Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Office
The VPSAES Office only requested reauthorization of the base budget with an increase due to meri, and the $1,386,653 request was approved by SFAC. The office oversees 30 departments across the school, focusing on academic persistence and degree attainment.
UH Wellness
UH Wellness asked the SFAC committee for reauthorization of the base budget of $645,056, funding for Well-Being influencers, a health communications specialist, a health promotion specialist, an administrative assistant and a Cougar Cupboard program manager.
While all of the requests were approved, the as for well-being influencers was only approved as a one-time request.
Women and Gender Resource Center
The Women and Gender Resource Center requested funding for case management software, a two-year program with the NASPA, a student ambassador program, marketing campaigns, professional development and training.
All of the resource center’s requests were approved, however, to include the case management software in the permanent budget, the center would have to show how the software improved in next year’s presentation.
Editors Note: The Cougar receives funding from SFAC as a beneficiary of the Center for Student Media.
