The Undergraduate Student Government senate unanimously approved a bill that would amend the funding department guidelines for the 2025-26 academic year at Tuesday night’s senate meeting. The bill will raise the timeline for travel funding requests from eight weeks to nine weeks for recognized student organizations. 

Senate bill 145-05 will require all travel funding applications to be completed nine academic weeks before the date of travel. This includes requests covering expenses such as airfare and travel.  Recognized Student Organizations and individuals applying for funding requests must also include quotes for each expense and must include how the trip aligns with the missions or goals of the organization or individual. 

Chief financial officer Avery Horton introduced SB 145-05. When asked by senator Jad Kilani if the funding department guidelines change was due to recent University staff cuts, Horton said that the change is intended to create a time buffer that’s necessary when it comes to approving reports. 

“We are putting this extra week, and that is just to make sure that we have enough time to get those approvals,” Horton said. “It’s not because we don’t have enough staff, it’s just because we have to have enough time to be able to complete each approval.”

Boards such as the philanthropy fund and the social and recreation/startup fund help in funding events programmed for student organizations. 

“Applications requesting funding for travel expenses must include a clear statement that outlines the reason for travel,” Horton said. “It must relatively align with the goals/mission of the RSO or individual, and that will also aid in getting those approvals.”