Every semester, $20 of students’ tuition is placed into the Better University Community Fund, otherwise known as BUC Fund.
BUC Fund is a general fund that has an allotted amount of money for which student organizations can apply. The money is split, with 75 percent going to major events and 25 percent going toward the general fund.
Student organizations are able to apply for funding for events, trainings and any organizational needs, such as giveaway items.
The Student Government Association Senate — which is voted on by the student body or appointed by the SGA president — decides and votes on whether an organization should be fully funded, partially funded or not funded at all. They review the applications that are submitted and look at the suggestions made by the BUC Fund committee.
There is a BUC Fund committee composed up of nine members of SGA. The committee members read the applications and interview each applicant during the BUC Fund committee session.
“The best applications always give back significantly to the student body,” said Dustin Gilmer, secretary of allocations. “If an event does receive less funding, it is often due to the fact that the event doesn’t significantly impact a majority of the student body.”
Gilmer said all of the applicants can review the SGA Constitution’s Title V section for information on how the application is filled out and what is constitutionally allowed to be considered for BUC Fund.
Each year, the money in BUC Fund is determined by the number of students enrolled, as it is a student fee.
Since this money comes from the students, it is solely used for the benefit of the students.
“Events should be well thought-out and a detailed budget and itinerary planned,” according to the SGA website.
When reviewing these applications, the committee and the senators must put aside their personal thoughts and feelings in order to better serve the ETSU community.
BUC Fund made national news in 2014 when their funding proposal for Sex Week, sponsored by the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, was denied by 23 members of the Senate. The Senate would not fund Sex Week because of the name and the controversy surrounding the University of Tennessee.
Senators debate whether events will positively impact student life and the community as a whole.
BUC Fund meetings have already begun this semester. At the first BUC Fund meeting, several senators voiced concern over an event that was set to be on the weekend.
It was argued that ETSU is a “suitcase college.” At a suitcase college, the number of students on campus is significantly lower on the weekends.
At the end of each month, the BUC Fund committee meets to review applications to send to the Senate for approval.
For more information on BUC Fund, including the application and BUC Fund schedule, visit www.etsu.edu/sga/fund.
