Orientation Fund

Orientation Fund Application - 2010.docx

The minimum reimbursement amount per graduate student for 2009-2010 was $2.05. This year, 23 application were turned in, which is slightly more than the last two year (22 and 21 for 07-08 and 08-09 respectively) and the programs represented included ~40% of the graduate student body. In 2008-09, orientation funding was awarded at the lesser of $8.86 per student or the amount requested, while in 2009-10 it was the lesser of $7.18 per student or the amount requested, which is closer to 2007-08 funding levels. A list of recipient programs and their orientation activities is included at the bottom of the page.

The deadline for Orientation Fund Applications is October 30, 2009 at 2:00 pm; the application must be typed and accompanied by itemized, original receipts and turned into the GSA office. For more information, contact the GSA Treasurer.

The Orientation Fund is a portion of student registration fees (not GSA fees) allocated to the GSA as per a 1990 recommendation from the 1989-90 Student Services and Fees Advisory Committee. In addition to registration fees, the Orientation Fund receives an additional yearly allotment from the Office of Graduate Studies. The GSA distributes these funds to eligible graduate groups for the purpose of providing orientation events for new graduate students in those groups.

Orientation funds are distributed on a reimbursement basis. After the orientation, GSA representatives seeking orientation funds must submit an Orientation Fund Application along with receipts documenting spending. The deadline for this application is typically at the end of October and is printed on the Orientation Fund Application form. The minimum per student reimbursement amounts are printed on the Orientation Fund Application as well. Reimbursements are calculated soon after the deadline. Orientation Fund checks are processed by Office Coordinator and are sent to the GSA Office for representatives to pick up.

Any graduate student group registered as the representative organization for graduate students within a graduate group is eligible to receive funds; only one application per group will be considered. This should also be the group that sends representatives to the GSA Assembly. See "Becoming a Representative."

Orientation activities and expenditures are left largely to the discretion of the graduate student group. However, use of the Orientation Fund must comply with the university policy and procedure manual. It is a violation of university policy to use orientation funds to reimburse contributions to political campaigns (sect. 330-75), or the purchase of alcohol or tobacco (sect 330-80). Therefore these expenditures are not eligible for reimbursement.

Reimbursement to graduate student groups is this lesser of 1) Total expenses or 2) an amount based on student enrollment (excluding those on filing fee status) in the Spring quarter immediately preceding the Fall orientation. Student enrollment is defined as the sum of enrollment for all graduate majors represented by a particular student group. This is the same enrollment number used to determine your group's number of GSA representatives.

The maximum per student reimbursement amount will be determined by the GSA Treasurer after the application deadline in a way that fully allocates the current year's funding. While this number is unknown at the time you submit your application, in no case will this amount be less than the minimum per student amount printed on the Orientation Fund Application form. In most cases the amount will be more, so you are encouraged to submit receipts for all expenditures associated with the event.

Let's consider a year in which the minimum per student reimbursement was $3.50 (I'm making this up. This year's minimum funding may be different; check this year's application for this year's minimum per student reimbursement). Note that the actual per student reimbursement announced by the GSA Treasurer in these examples ($6) is not known until AFTER the applications for reimbursement are turned in. This amount will vary from year to year. I made up the amount, $6, just for the sake of these examples.

1. The Graduate Program in Wood Science has 24 regularly enrolled students as of Spring quarter. Wood Science puts on an Orientation that costs $80. After they turn in their application, Wood Science will be reimbursed for $80 because they spent less than $84 ($3.50 times 24 students).
   

2. The Graduate Program in Chromatic Studies has 32 regularly enrolled students as of Spring quarter. Chromatic Studies puts on an Orientation that costs $230. Once all applications are turned in, the GSA Treasurer announces that the Orientation Fund will fund up to $6 per student. Chromatic Studies is reimbursed for $192 of their expenses ($6 times 32 students).
   

3. The Graduate Program in Tangible Engineering has 17 regularly enrolled students as of Spring quarter. Tangible Engineering puts on an Orientation that costs $85. Once all applications are turned in, the GSA Treasurer announces that the Orientation Fund will fund up to $6 per student. Tangible Engineering is reimbursed for $85 ($5 per student). This is less than $6 per student ($102) because Tangible Engineering cannot be reimbursed for more than they actually spent.

Please note that in many cases, GSA funding only covered a small portion of the orientation activities

Orientation - activities.pdf