In an effort to bring more transparency to Downtown student government, detailed information about funding requests and allocated funds are being posted on the government’s website.
The information includes a graph and table of allocated funds, as well as scanned funding request documentation each organization needs to fill out to apply for money.
“We’re trying our best to be as transparent as we possibly can,” said President Joseph Grossman. “It’s the direction we, as leaders, chose to take.”
The idea for a graph that would track cash flow to various organizations originated from former presidential candidate Andres Cano during the spring 2011 elections.
Cano said during a presidential debate in March that the previous year’s administration failed at being transparent during their time in office — especially when it came to funding — and promised to implement greater transparency measures if elected.
Several members of the Executive Board said the graph and other information posted is not in response to any perceived failings by past administrations, and is instead indicative of this administration’s goal to be visible.
“The graph is a reflection of our commitment to be a transparent government,” said Cano, who was recently appointed to serve as the director of parliamentary procedures.
Grossman said Cano proposed the graph again during an Executive Board meeting over the summer, and the rest of the board agreed it was a good idea.
Director of Public Relations Danielle Chavez was then asked to see if putting the graph online was possible; she later completed the project.
“It is important for students to know where their student fee is going, and for this administration to keep accurate records of funds allocated,” Chavez said in an email on Sunday.
On the same webpage as the graph, a chart showing the allocated funds given to each organization is also available.
The table shows how much each organization originally requested, how much the Senate distributed to the organization, when the allocation happened and the final vote.
The last transparency tactic this administration implemented was to post all funding requests filed by student organizations online. This includes total funds requested, line-item breakdowns, payroll and details about what the money will be used for. In short, all documentation the Senate receives for each request is put online.
Director of Finance Sam Tongue said the public posting of funding requests, along with the graph and table, makes funding a shared responsibility between the government and organizations.
In the past, the government was often blamed for allocating large chunks of money to student organizations, Tongue said. Now, the online information “(gives) a fairer perspective to everything,” he said.
All transparency methods are updated as quickly as possible after Friday senate meetings, Tongue said. The graph and table are updated before the end of the day and funding request documents are put online within a week.
Grossman said the Executive Board will continue to think of other ways to maintain transparency throughout the year, and that being a visible government is a high priority.
Contact the reporter at connor.radnovich@asu.edu
