Student Fee Advisory Committee Guidelines for Contingency Funding

Purpose

In spring of 2000, the Chancellor accepted a recommendation by the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SF AC) to establish a contingency fund in order to help meet emergency unforeseen fiscal needs without compromising on-going funding for student services. The fund is specifically reserved for emergency maintenance of student fee-funded facilities or other unanticipated needs critical to the welfare of students and the delivery of student services. This document explains the guidelines and process for applying for these funds.

Source of Funds

The fund consists of temporary Registration Fee funds and shall be adjusted each fiscal year so that it comprises 2.5% of permanently budgeted Registration Fee revenue (including other funds allocated by the Office of the President specifically to support Registration Fee programs) as of the beginning of each fiscal year.

Eligibilitv

Only projects and programs that are eligible for Registration Fee funding units are eligible for allocations from the contingency fund. For a list of such projects and the criteria for Registration Fee funding please consult "Guidelines for Registration Fee Funding." Only temporary funds may be requested. The contingency fund is not intended as a solution to on-going operating budget shortfalls.

Process

Requests for contingency funding should only be made when the organization cannot absorb the total cost of an emergency. The request must come from the organization's Dean or Vice Chancellor, not trom the department or unit, and should be sent to the Office of Academic Planning and Budget (APB). APB will analyze the request and forward both the request and the analysis to the SFAC. The request should include a description of the situation, including a justification for consideration as an "emergency," and a description of other sources of funding, including prior-year carry forward balances and discretionary resources, that are being used to help meet the need.

A request for contingency fund support may be made outside the normal budget request cycle. At the next regularly scheduled meeting, the SF AC will review the request and the APB analysis, and make its recommendation to the Chancellor. The Committee may invite the unit administrator whose request is under study to provide additional information.

The SF AC Chair will be available to consult with APB if an emergency occurs when the SF AC is not in session. APB will incorporate the Chair's comments into the analysis presented to the Chancellor before a decision is made. The decision will be reported to the Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting. At that time, the SF AC may wish to comment on the decision.

Criteria for Funding

The fund may only be used for contingencies that cannot be handled by other resources available to the organization. The fund is reserved for emergency maintenance of student fee-funded facilities or other unanticipated needs critical to the welfare of students and the delivery of student services (e.g., the failure of a major computer system). The University has defmed emergency facility maintenance as "the repair or replacement of facility components and equipment requiring immediate attention because the functioning of a critical system is impaired or because health, safety, or security of life is endangered." [Source: UC Facilities Manual, Chapter 1.4.3]

The contingency fund may not be used for routine maintenance or planned upgrades of facilities, or to address on-going funding shortfalls. Funding for needs that can reasonably be anticipated should be requested through the regular SFAC budget process.