Each year the Associated Students of California Lutheran University Government are responsible for the allocation of finances towards student programs, clubs and organizations.

ASCLUG uses this funding to put on student events such as the Homecoming Fair and Cosmic Bowling, while also using this funding for improvements around campus such as lights around the basketball courts.

In addition to ASCLUG-related events and programs, part of the budget is allotted to over 90 different clubs and organizations represented at California Lutheran University.

What many students may not know however, is where exactly this budget comes from.

“It comes straight from the students, that’s why we make sure that everything we do is for the good of the students,” Evan Carthen, ASCLUG Programs Board Director for the 2014-2015 academic year said.

Every year ASCLUG is budgeted a certain percentage of student fees, with a fixed percentage of the total budget then being allocated to the respective boards within ASCLUG.

This year the Programs Board was given a total budget of $144,196, while the Senate had a total budget of around $68,000.

Programs Board, which according to the ASCLU Constitution is responsible for representing the programming needs of the students and the allocation of funds that benefit students, receives 20 percent of the allocated budget from student fees.

The main legislative body in regards to the allocation of funding to clubs and organizations is the Senate, and they receive 10 percent of the student fees to be used at their discretion as the school year progresses.

Clubs and organizations receive the highest percentage from student fees at 25 percent, and the budget is accessible for clubs and organizations at any point in the year.

In order for a club or organization to receive funding from ASCLUG they must first contact Ryan Fleming, who currently serves as senate director. After expressing the need for additional funding, clubs and organizations must then fill out a budget proposal and present it to the Senate Board.

The Senate will then review the proposed budget presented to them and will then make their decision regarding how much to allocate based on how they feel the money should be best used.

“It’s hard to always give the right amount,” ASCLUG Controller Ricky Hegner said. “We try to give it out as best as possible so it’s used efficiently and all the students can see it being used.”

As controller, Hegner is responsible for overseeing the budgets for clubs and organizations, Programs Board, Senate and the Executive Cabinet.

“We hope to give the money to something students will see and appreciate,” Hegner said.

It is important for students to be aware of how their money is being spent in order to ensure that it is being used in ways that would benefit the student community here at Cal Lutheran.

“One of the things we’ve done a lot this year as Programs Board is support a lot of student life events,” Carthen said. “We really want to partner off with different clubs to do and support different things.”

Carthen said ASCLUG all have the same goals and just want to help as many people as possible.

Joe Dalecio
Staff Writer
Published February 25th, 2015