Anxious UWM sport clubs leaders rejoiced at learning a new, more flexible and club-friendly funding model got the green light from administration to be funded through the Department of Recreational Sports and Facilities (RSF).
The Registered Sport Clubs Organizations (RSCO), Sport Clubs Coordinator Melissa Moutry and Assistant Director of Intramural Sports & Sport Clubs Nick Tasich worked on a new funding model over the past few months, running into administrative bureaucracy and Student Association mishandling along the way.
But on Wednesday May 1 the tumultuous headache came to an end and the sport clubs leaders breathed a sigh of relief that they will get funding next semester.
Moutry and Tasich supervised the funding model switch.
“This will be a program that you guys [RSCO] will have input on … it will still be set up so you guys have a voice you can make recommendations, and that your very involved in the funding process,” said Moutry.
The new funding model is more flexible than previous models. Instead of budgeting down to finicky details for each and every item or event clubs spend money on, they will be able to receive a lump sum of money to spend broadly on what they need.
For example, in the past when a game or tournament was canceled or changed locations, a sports club would lose the money allocated to the specific event. Now, that money can still be used for the game, without having to go through a tedious process to re-apply.
The other big difference is that RSCO will be given money annually for the whole year rather than each semester. This will allow ROSCO to budget the seasons easier than with the previous funding model.
This funding model is still in the works but it will be designed similar to the former Sports Clubs Allocations Committee model.
“Instead of having to get every possible detail right in order to get funding we will be able to get things we need as long as we have budgeted for it” said Lady Panther Rugby Vice President Alex Murphy.
Moutry told RSCO representatives that with this new funding model they will have a better ability to properly fund their teams.
“If something were to come up, if all of your equipment gets stolen, and you need to buy new equipment, but you weren’t allocated money for that you could, with proper documentation, use the money you were allocated for something else for new equipment instead,” she said.
Budgets will be submitted at the beginning of next school year with the intent to be funded through RSF for the full year. RSCO will still be student organizations under the Student Association come this fall.
“[RSCO] will still have some support through the Center for Student Involvement as you currently do now” said Tasich.
RSCO, Moutry, Tasich and the RSF are all working diligently to create by-laws before the semester ends. Come fall RSCO will present a budget to a group of students made up of seven voting officers from RSCO. This committee will be formed this summer by the board made up of the 19 presidents from RSCO.