Organizations vie for ASI dollars

A bumper crop of clubs and organizations was looking for money this semester.

The committee for Dollars for Organizations and Clubs and the Student Education and Leadership grant program received a record 97 applications for grant money in this semester alone.

DOC/SEL grants totaling $43,882 were given to 179 students on April 5. All but one of the applicants received an award, The minimum award this semester was $30 and the maximum award of $240 was given to a group of students hoping to attend a dance institute. Individuals may receive up to $500 and clubs can get up to $1000.

“You could tell that some students were disappointed but the majority were gracious. Most of the students say thank you and that every little bit helps. We tried to prepare them beforehand by telling them the situation with the number of applicants before giving them the actual amount that they were awarded,” said Rita Tyk, administrative assistant at Associated Students Inc., which oversees the DOC/SEL programs. There is a rapidly growing demand for these grants as the semesters pass. When ASI awarded the first SEL grants of the school year in October, there were requests adding up to $18,989. In November, students were asking for total of $15,851. When February came around, there were $21,712 requested.

Together, the two grants awarded a total of $100,000 to campus organizations and individuals in the 1998/1999 school year. The D.O.C. grant was responsible for $75,000 of that amount.

Rita Tyk, administrative assistant for ASI, said that ASI is aware of the rapidly growing need of clubs and organizations for funds.

“We are looking to increase the budget for these grants due to the increase in students needing them,” said Tyk.

DOC and SEL grants are judged using four criteria: the total amount requested, the first priority indicated for the award, the number of applicants seeking funds for the same event and what percentage of money can be divided equally to all the events.

DOC/SEL Committee meetings were held every other week throughout the school year. The members of this semester’s D.O.C./S.E.L. committee were Devin Cook, ASI vice president of finance, Stephanie Parrish, ASI director of business, Effie Miller, ASI director of campus life, and Farimah Jafarinejad, who also sits on the Finance and Budget committee.

The ASI Board is slated to vote on a budget increase for DOC and SEL grants today at 3 p.m. in the Redwood Room of the University Union.