ASWU adjusts precedents following club leaders’ fall funding round frustrations

On Thursday, Oct. 9, the associated students of Willamette University’s (ASWU) senate gathered for one of its usual weekly meetings — which was met with higher than usual attendance. 

About 20 audience members were present, and several clubs and individuals provided public comments expressing concerns over the outcomes of the first fall funding round and how funds are allocated between clubs and organizations on campus. In response, at its Oct. 23 meeting, the ASWU senate passed a redraft of the funding precedent to expand communication and transparency for future funding cycles, including the most recent fall funding round two, which began on Oct. 24.

In a typical funding round, club treasurers submit their funding requests to the ASWU finance board, with a cost breakdown and description of items they request. These requests must also meet ASWU’s precedents for funding. After that, the finance board has about a week to consider all of the funding requested by ASWU-affiliated clubs. The finance board then submits a funding recommendation that is voted on by the entirety of the ASWU senate.

BSU president speaks on “WingstopGate” posters

The first to speak when the floor was opened for public comment on Oct. 9 was Kayla Davis (’26), the president of the Black Student Union (BSU). Davis spoke in response to posters which had been circulated on campus by an unknown actor. The posters, easily recognizable by their banner reading “WingStopGate,” argued that in the fall funding round 1, funds had been unfairly allocated and that BSU did not receive the funding it deserved. 

While the posters echoed many other clubs' calls for more transparency within ASWU, the posters argued on behalf of BSU, without the club's consent, said Davis. Additionally, as the posters were not made by an ASWU-associated club, they also violated the Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) offices posting policies. 

During her public comment, Davis, when addressing the posters, said that “it does not promote equality on campus to utilize Black voices as a stepping stone to receive the things that you want.” She ended her statement acknowledging the issues that other clubs are facing and encouraged other clubs to advocate for their concerns.

Club leaders voice concern 

Among the clubs affected by the recent funding decisions was the Native Indigenous Student Union (NISU). NISU had requested funds for an event for Indigenous Heritage Month in November, but according to NISU President Mae Sauntere Hernandez (’27), as of Oct. 17 the request was not listed as either approved or denied. Additionally, NISU had requested funds for two separate trips to the Grand Ronde Museum and the Grand Ronde Nursery, but on the form, the events seemed to be considered together as one event.

In a public comment at the ASWU senate meeting, Hernandez stressed the need for more transparency within ASWU and suggested the implementation of an appeals process as the way to best correct many of the communication errors this funding round. In a later interview with The Collegian, Hernandez said, “For there not to be an appeal process, for mistakes that were not our own, and for things that failed due to technology is crazy.” 

Likely in response to this concern, at the Oct. 21 finance board meeting, the board approved a precedent for an appeals process as part of their larger project to re-draft the funding precedents and procedures. Their recommendations for a redraft were then passed by an ASWU senate vote at their Oct. 23 meeting. 

Another club that was affected by the fall funding round was Castaway Club. After being denied all van funding, which is crucial to the functioning of Castaway as it engages in fishing and stream cleanup outings, both Eyan Hackney (’26), president and co-founder, and Jack Crone (’28), vice president and co-founder, began to look into the current funding precedents. Though the SEAL office later agreed to fund Castaway as the original denial of funds was due to administrative error, the pair said they believe they have discovered systemic bias within the ASWU funding precedents, and now have concerns about the transparency of the finance board. 

One of Castaway's biggest concerns is in regards to the lack of transparency. On Oct. 8, Crone requested the meeting minutes for the ASWU finance board, but he instead discovered that no meeting minutes had been recorded. 

According to the ASWU Treasurer Mitch Septoff (’26), who heads the finance board, in past years, the board has prioritized speed over communication, so during funding round decisions, taking meeting minutes is not always the priority. But to Crone, it’s “a core part of ASWU to have that clarity, to take minutes, and to let students be informed.” Without the minutes, Crone believes the ASWU finance board lacks accountability.

Castaway's other concern was  alleged systemic bias in ASWU’s funding precedents. Because of the way funds are allocated, sports clubs tend to receive more money than civic or cultural organizations. According to Hackney, in the pre-fall and the most recent fall funding round, sports and recreational clubs received about $32,000, while cultural and civic clubs received around $20,000, resulting in a funding gap of $12,000 — a funding gap, Hackney said, that “no amount of goodwill can fill.” By the time of publication, The Collegian could not independently verify these numbers.

ASWU makes adjustments

In response to recent pushback, for the upcoming fall funding round 2, which has been accepting funding requests from Oct. 24-31, the finance board will take two weeks to consider all funding requests. This change is part of a larger effort by the ASWU Finance Board and the ASWU Treasurer Septoff to address some of the grievances brought up in public comment. 

Additionally, in future finance board meetings, ASWU Director of Communications Katelyn Beissel Rosales (’28) will be taking meeting minutes. Meeting minutes from both the Oct. 14 and Oct. 21 finance board meetings are currently published on the official ASWU website under Documents. 

In Septoff's words, “[These changes are] kind of like a Band-Aid on a bullet hole.” Even before the controversies of the first fall funding round, Septoff and the finance board have been working to implement larger long-term changes to the funding precedents. They hope to make the language easier to understand and hopefully close the funding gap between civic and cultural clubs and sports clubs. 

Until then, Septoff encourages anyone to reach out to him with questions or concerns, either via email (mdseptoff@willamette.edu) or by attending his office hours in the Bistro, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.