| Opinion | Feb. 4, 2008 | 11:17 pm |
How much ASG spends on student activities, in Chipotle burritos
By
Even though attendance at this year’s main keynote address for Martin Luther King Day nearly halved from last year, according to the Daily Northwestern, that doesn’t mean students paid any less to bring former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman to campus.
ASG allocates more than $1 million annually in its student activities fee budget. Between $15 an $20 thousand of that pays for MLK Day speakers alone, while most of the rest goes to A-status student groups for guest speakers and other events, like A&O Productions concerts. That’s a difficult number to unpack, since groups don’t generally reveal how much they pay a certain speaker or musician.
But it raises another question: How much does the average student actually get out of the $132 he pays annually in student activities fees? Tickets for Office star B.J. Novak’s A&O-sponsored performance sold out within 45 minutes, but last year no more than 20 people showed up to watch actress Kathleen Turner speak when the NU Women Filmmakers Alliance brought her to Norris.
To illustrate what that $1 million looks like: You could buy 175,438 Chipotle burritos with the amount of money ASG spends on hosting speakers and other student group events – steak and pinto beans, tax not included. Click on the thumbnail below to see what we’re talking about.
Steph Yiu said,
February 5, 2008 @ 10:31 am
“That’s a difficult number to unpack, since groups don’t generally reveal how much they pay a certain speaker or musician.”
1. You can find out how much student groups spend on their speakers by looking at SAFB’s budget, available online here:
http://groups.northwestern.edu/safb/documents/index.php
Spring funding 2007 allocates student groups their budgets for this year.
“But it raises another question: How much does the average student actually get out of the $132 he pays annually in student activities fees?”
2. For almost every event SAFB wonders the exact same question. They discuss the cost-per-student before allocating amounts, and if the group’s track record shows a low cost-per-student, then SAFB is more likely to grant them more money.
Otherwise, cool graphic :) I’m happy we have great speakers on campus! Other schools don’t use their student activities fees as productively - we have amazing performers that come to NU!
Paul Schrodt said,
February 5, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
Thanks for making that more clear, Steph. The people in Student Affairs wouldn’t tell me how much each MLK Day keynote speaker was given for coming, but it looks like most student groups have to report the honorarium amount for a specific guest. I think it’d be interesting if someone did a deeper analysis of how the student activities money is handed out.
Steph Yiu said,
February 5, 2008 @ 3:29 pm
Briefly…
The Student Activities Finance Board, ASG’s financial arm, gives the Senate recommendations for how much each group should be funded, basing decisions on past fiscal responsibility and success of prior events. Senators have final approval over funding, and they can add or take away money as they debate recommendations. Student groups can present their cases for more funding before the Senate.