Stephen DeSalvo knows what needs fixing.

During the spring 2012 Student Association budget meeting, DeSalvo, the SA comptroller, entertained a barrage of questions from student leaders about the concept of the “tier system” and how the SA Finance Board uses it to delegate funds to Syracuse University’s registered student organizations. The majority of the inquiries, however, concerned how a group could move up in the system and have access to more funding.

The questioning was not undeserved. Though the current SA finance codes do explain the use of the tier system and that it was implemented to promote fiscal responsibility, there is no explanation for how organizations can move tiers. This is a major issue, as many student leaders wish to plan large-scale events and do not understand why they are denied the funding, or when they will be able to receive it in the future.

In recognizing that this ambiguity could not continue, DeSalvo, with input from Finance Board members, drafted a bill to clearly define mobility within the tier system for student organizations. He presented the bill on Monday to the general assembly and it will be up for a vote Sept. 24.

The general assembly needs to enact this bill in order to ensure fairness, equality and transparency in its financial processes.

The finance codes currently state student organizations can apply for funding from the student activity fee, but can only receive up to the amount stipulated in their tier. Organizations have been placed in tiers based on their programming capital, history of successful events and Finance Board evaluations. Tier One organizations receive the lowest amount of funding and Tier Four organizations receive the highest.

Movement within the tiers is currently up to the discretion of the comptroller.

If passed, DeSalvo’s bill will most importantly explain to student organizations that moving up is achievable and, therefore, access to larger sums is a possibility in the future.

The bill explains the application for moving up a tier, which includes an explanation of programming history containing at least six semesters of SA-funded events, a letter of recommendation by the organization’s adviser and a justification for moving up. All new organizations will be placed in Tier One, and an organization can only move one tier at a time.

If this bill is not passed, the ability for groups to move tiers may remain up to the discretion of the comptroller. SA should be apprehensive about leaving such decisions to one person with no policy to base upon. Student leaders have expressed a want for clarity concerning mobility. As comptrollers change between terms, the rules for tier mobility may too with each of their personal financial plans, causing more confusion for student leaders.

DeSalvo’s proposed policies are explicit and understandable. During his first term as comptroller, this is the most significant proposal he has put forward to the general assembly, as it patches a hole in the SA financial system.

When he worked to make the tier system part of the finance codes one year ago, DeSalvo knew it would be a work in progress. Now he has found what needs fixing, and this bill is a big step in the right direction.

Rachael Barillari is a junior political science and Middle Eastern studies major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at rebarill@syr.edu.

Published on September 20, 2012 at 3:40 am