Fee Transparency Project

Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/95622314123?pwd=5VWcllvoBuwmAnafdwInowPaBQ1LWB.1

Present: Marshall, Mel, Trey, Katie, Shirley, Lisa, Lucy, Aiden, Fernanda

Welcome and Introductions
1. Members introductions: Name, Pronouns, Year, Major, and Space.
2. Order: Cowell, Stevenson, Crown, Merrill, Kresge, Porter, Oakes, RCC, C9, JRL, GSA, GSC, SAB, Provost, SUA, Lisa, Lucy
Approval of Agenda & 10/21/24 Minutes
1. Trey motions to approve the agenda and minutes. Marshall seconds the motion. No objections.
Announcements & Updates
1. There are no announcements.
Council on Student Fees (CSF)
1. Election of SFAC Campaign Coordinator
  1. This position will come with a stipend increase
  2. Position involves talking with campus administration and getting the word out to the wider student population.
  3. Marshall explains the position. This position will be working with CSF to increase transparency around student fees, including developing reports and interacting administration. This would be a good way to get more involved with CSF and its initiatives.
  4. Trey expresses interest in the position. Trey says that he’s interested in doing more work with administration. This is a good opportunity to train on system-wide initiatives. Trey asks for more information.
    1. Marshall explains that we will call for a vote when we have quorum [pause]. At 1:07 pm, the committee establishes quorum and continues this item. Trey makes a short speech about this interest in this role and the importance of the role.
    2. Trey exits the room so we can vote. Trey says he will abstain from voting.
    3. Vote is 5-0-1. Trey is appointed as the SFAC Campaign Coordinator
2024-2025 Funding Call
1. Timeline
  1. SFAC Fall Funding Call Timeline
  2. We can adjust the timeline as needed based on our actual implementation.
2. Application Letter
  1. 2024 - 2025 SFAC Funding Proposal Final Draft
  2. Result of online vote:
    1. 1-approve
  3. Summary of feedback received. Marshall explains that he made edits based on the suggestions that were made last week. Check history in the document for the details.
  4. A big part of last week’s conversation was to change “outreach” to “feasibility” by 10 points. This would be to show how a department/program plans to implement the plan.
  5. We also decreased budget justification to 30 points.
  6. Increased the proposal overview from 10% to 20%.
  7. We also made changes to reduce the amount for student impact.
  8. Lisa will share an updated budget worksheet.
3. Funding Call Memo
  1. 2024-2025 SFAC Funding Call Memorandum
  2. Marshall asks if we can make sure that the memo is sent to student organizations, clubs in Baskin Engineering and other Academic Divisions, etc.
  3. Marshall asks for any final feedback on the letter.
  4. The letter should be clear that we are only accepting the budget worksheet that’s provided. This should be reiterated at the workshops as well.
4. Workshop/Consultation
  1. Slide deck that we used for last year
  2. We can update this year’s slide deck to include data that Maddie shared in her presentation.
  3. Marshall asks members to review the slide deck and asks for feedback on how we can improve the workshop.
    1. Trey says we should have instructions on how to complete the budget worksheet.
    2. Katie suggests that we could do a simulation to show people how to submit the application.
    3. Last year, whoever attended the workshop was asked to meet individually with an SFAC member to review their application.
    4. Outcome - we will record the orientation and folks can watch instead of attending a workshop, however, they need still do a consultation meeting.
    5. We can post the one-page summary of the 23-24 awards that Cindy created in the workshop as well.
    6. We can also use a sample proposal from last year to highlight a “good” proposal.
5. Last week we voted to require a plan be submitted from each funded unit from last year's funding cycle to demonstrate they can still put on their proposal or, if they can't, to take that money and put it into this year's funding call.
  1. Lucy can develop a Google Form response for this - will that work?
  2. Some departments may not be able to follow through on their plans this year given budget reductions, staffing changes, etc.
  3. We will ask for a response that shows how they will spend the money, etc.
  4. Lucy will draft a Google Form for review at next week’s meeting.
6. If time:
  1. Develop funding call questions
    1. Ones from last year: Grad slam.pdf (Couldn’t find the questions by themself
7. Available funds:
  1. Conversation regarding maintaining a 15% reserve to align with the campus “prudent reserve”.
  2. Lisa suggests not increasing the reserve amount.
  3. 15% would result in $87,871.65 being held in reserve. That results in $497,939.35 being put out in the funding call.
  4. Lucy suggests setting aside $500,000 for the funding call, which is about 14.6%.
  5. Lisa asks how we want to split the reserve that we hold back by fund source? Marshall suggests we split the reserve 60% SSF and 40% EMH. We will vote next week.
    1. $34,200 EMH - Reserve ($400,000 SSF)
    2. $51,311 SFF - Reserve ($100,000 EMH)

EMH/19986	SSF/20000	Total
$136,630	$449,181	$585,811

Adjournment
1. Meeting adjourned at 1:44 pm

Upcoming Guests/Topics:.

Guests
1. Acting Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success John Bollard
By-Laws
1. [From 6/6/24 meeting minutes]: Marshall, Mel, and Lucy will draft some language and edits for the bylaws responsive to today’s conversation for review next year early in fall quarter.
Auditing:
1. Student Media Voice Fee
2. Student Life Facilities Fee
Sub-Committee Work
1. Outreach
  1. Helping Mel with Social Media
  2. Tabling
  3. Info events
  4. Others?
2. Auditing
  1. Looking at fees
  2. Meeting with responsible parties
  3. Others?
3. Other Subcommittees?