Treasury representatives in Student Union (SU) heard appeals from six clubs and allocated $18,866.03 in funding for sports teams to travel and clubs to host on-campus events, bringing the total amount of money allocated this semester to $34,685.53.

The meeting began with a presentation from members of the student-run fashion and arts magazine Armour, who received $3,020.34 to host an event where students can sell handmade crafts on Mudd Field in early October.

After Armour presented, the meeting format moved from appeals directly by club members to Treasury team recommendations, which is the other process clubs can receive funding through. 

Junior Sadie Karp, who serves as Speaker of the Treasury, explained the difference between the two methods of presenting an appeal.

“Treasury team [appeals] are for more typical appeals or events we’ve seen before,” Karp said. “Appeals made directly to Treasury are for larger events and newer events, and it also depends on how many appeals we have.”

When a club submits an appeal that will not be presented directly to Treasury, members of the group meet with two to four Treasury representatives to explain why they are requesting funds and go through each line item to determine whether it is a necessary cost. 

After listening to their rationale, the Treasury representatives relay that information to the group at large, with the addition of a recommendation for what they believe the group should receive. Then, the group moves into discussion before voting to either fund the motion in full, subsidize part of it, or to deny it entirely. 

The first Treasury team presentation of the meeting was for the women’s ultimate frisbee team, which asked for $5,780 in order to send 45-50 club members to a tournament in Indiana and was funded in full. 

Next, Chabad requested $2,292 to rent out the Athletic Complex to host a Rosh Hashanah event, which more than 300 people are expected to attend to celebrate the Jewish holiday and share a meal. They received all of their requested funding.

The women’s club soccer team had two separate appeals, requesting $600 to book hotels to play a game in Arkansas and $1,450 to pay referees for their home games. 

During discussion for this appeal, Treasury representatives noted the group had filed their appeal less than four weeks away from the tournament, so they were allowed to receive a maximum of $120 per hotel room per night based on the new policy that took effect last week. The Treasury funded the group in full, receiving a total of $2,050. 

Continuing with the sports appeals, the men’s club basketball team requested $4,842.69 to travel to Texas A&M to play in a tournament, subsequently receiving funding to do so. 

Finally, Treasury representatives heard an appeal for $801 by the WashU sailing club to send four competing members and one alternate to a regatta at Northwestern University.

The Treasury team recommendation, which was presented by junior and Budget Committee Chair Leena Rai, did not match what the group initially requested for housing.

Sailing club asked for $700 to house five people over two nights, equating to $70 a person per night. Senior and Treasury Representative Sam Hogan pointed out that the appeal was filed on Sept. 6, which is exactly four weeks before Oct. 6, when the regatta begins. 

Rai pointed out that the recommendation was not meant to punish the group but rather encourage it to be more proactive, as it requested a relatively high amount for housing but had a couple of weeks at the beginning of the semester where it could have submitted its appeal ahead of time.

“The thing that was driving our decision was the fact that this was not a last-minute or out of control event, it just was not as proactive as it could have been or should have been,” Rai said. 

Representative Justin Kouch pointed out that the group did submit the appeal before the four week cutoff, emphasizing that it would be inconsistent to hold them to the standard of a club that did not meet the deadline. 

“I think if we’re trying to stay consistent with the rule,” Kouch said, “ if they submit it without four weeks, which they did, as long as they meet the deadline, should they be penalized for that?”

Treasury representatives agreed to compromise between the group’s $700 request and the Treasury team’s $480 recommendation allocating $560 for housing, amounting to $881 total.