Funding DiversitySteps to Getting a Diversity Fee at Your School

• Specific amount collected from every student

attending the university - MU $3.19

What is a Diversity Fee?

• Money used solely to promote diversity across

campus and benefit the entire student population

• Budget process

Background

Too complicated

Competition

92%

8%

OtherMinorities

2.5%

• Budget process

Background

Too complicated

Competition

• Funding

Membership fees

Fundraisers

• It all starts with an idea

Get The Ball Rolling

• Look at other schools that have it:

- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

- University of Wisconsin -Madison

Cultural Programming Fee

Multicultural Council

• Hold open forums

• Get support from key University and student reps

• Create Student Diversity Fee Committee

GET READY FOR THE NEXT BIG STEP

• Write Resolution and submit to Student Government. For example:

Put It In Writing

Purpose: To facilitate cooperation between underrepresented students for the benefit of the entire undergraduate population

Why it is needed: The severe lack of funding for minority organizations has limited opportunities for desired events, co-programming and promoting diversity on campus

Identify Groups: Legion of Black Collegians, Hispanic American Leadership Organization, Asian American Students Association, Triangle Coalition

Money Distribution: The groups have been divided into proportions based on their representative percentage of the minority population enrollment on campus and the percentage of money they requested and were funded by ORG in previous years

Money Management: Fee managed by a Multicultural/Diversity Fee Review Board - at MU, Multicultural Center (Student Life)

• Making it work:

Other Things to Consider

Budget - How often do you do you submit budget?

- Who creates the budget?

- Itemized

What about the other organizations? Make some of the funds coming from the Diversity Fee available to other organizations not recognized as “minority” that want to hold diversity event/programs

• After Student Government Vote:

It’s Official

Funding divided proportionately by minority group

ORGANIZATION % FUNDS

Legion of Black Collegians 45%

Asian American Association 20%

Hispanic American Leadership Organization 15%

Four Front 15%

Triangle Coalition 5%

It’s Official

Bi-annual and Itemized Budgets

DESCRIPTION ALLOCATION

Travel $450

Advertising $500

Food $2,000

Speakers $1,000

Copy Services $500

T-Shirts $1,000

H.A.L.O. Regional Conference 2008

MU H.A.L.O. will host the H.A.L.O. Regional Conference this year, welcoming students from different universities from the Midwest region.

Anticipated Cost: $5,450

It’s Official

Discretionary Diversity Fund

- Additional percentage from the Diversity Fee allocated specifically for other organizations that don’s fall under any of the previously mentioned minority groups and wish to fund an event/program

focused on diversity and to benefit the entire student body

It’s Official

No Double Funding

- Organizations can apply for funding through the Diversity Fee or SOAC (Student Organization Allocation Committee) under ORG, NOT BOTH

Umbrella Organizations

- Larger minority organizations became umbrella organizations for smaller ones

- Funding comes from co-sponsoring

It’s Official

H.A.LO.

2007-2008 School Year

It’s Official

• Example of co-sponsored event:

What It Means to Have It?

Freedom Variety

Quality

What It Means to Have It?

Fall 2007 Latino Student Orientation

What It Means to Have It?

Hispanic Heritage Month

What It Means to Have It?

A Golden Affair

What It Means to Have It?

H.A.L.O. Regional Conference

Questions