This fall marks the first full semester since the Student Government Association (SGA) voted to overhaul how student organizations advised by the Max A. Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism and Education (COVE) and the Office of the Chaplains receive funding. The resolution, passed last April, replaced the long-standing block grant system with a process requiring groups to request funding directly from the Budget Allocation Committee (BAC) each semester or on a per-event basis.
The move aimed to create greater equity in how student groups across different advising offices access the student activities fee. Under the old system, organizations advised by the COVE and the Office of the Chaplains received lump-sum grants each semester, while most other student organizations — including those under the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) and the ALANA Cultural Center — had to apply for funding on an event-by-event basis.
The COVE oversees more than 40 volunteer teams and coordinates longstanding partnerships with schools, food security programs, emergency response organizations and local service nonprofits. Because many of these partnerships rely on consistent weekly programming, some students and advisers worried that introducing new funding steps could disrupt community expectations.
The debate last spring centered less on dollar amounts and more on predictability, continuity and the ability to act quickly when community partners requested support. Now, several months into implementation, both COVE staff and the BAC report that the transition has gone more smoothly than some anticipated.
Jeremy Wattles, the director of COVE and a graduate from Colgate University’s Class of 2005, commented on the change.
“We have had a relatively smooth transition,” Wattles said. “It takes time to learn a new process, and overall, volunteer groups have been able to engage in their regular programming.”
According to Wattles, COVE leaders have adapted at different speeds depending on their prior experience with BAC procedures.
“Some leaders are used to this process from other organizations, so it’s nothing new to them,” Wattles said. “Others needed step-by-step instructions on how to move things through Get Involved and build their budgets with the level of detail the BAC expects.”
Despite initial concerns, Wattles noted that the new model has not disrupted the COVE’s community partnerships.
“Thus far, our relationships with our partners are in good shape, and our COVE volunteer teams have been able to engage in their usual service activities,” he said.
From the BAC’s perspective, the new system is achieving its intended effect. Andrew Ludwin, the current BAC treasurer and a junior, said that the transition has gone as smoothly as one could have imagined.
“The impacted student groups have faced zero negative impact to their funding, and we have worked diligently with student leaders to address any small logistical issues as they have arisen,” Ludwin said.
Ludwin emphasized that the policy realized its central goal — ensuring equity across advising offices.
“Now, all advising offices request at the same time from the same standing to the same pool of money,” he said.
Previously, COVE groups and groups advised by the Office of the Chaplains operated within fixed block grants of about $60,000. Under the new system, their requests draw from the broader Student Activities Fee pool.
“Groups that had been historically forced to operate within the confines of their block grant have access to the entire SAF,” Ludwin said.
The changes also addressed concerns raised last spring about emergency service groups receiving time-sensitive funding.
“Every dollar that religious organizations and emergency services have requested has been funded,” Ludwin said.
However, student leaders within the COVE describe a more complicated adjustment on the ground. Planning timelines, internal communication and budget documentation have all shifted, affecting how group leaders approach weekly operations.
Emilia Spina is a senior COVE intern and a volunteer leader. She explained some of the difficulties faced by leaders during the transition.
“The only thing that’s difficult is the fact that the BAC isn’t super knowledgeable or familiar with what we do in the COVE,” Spina said. “They don’t really understand that we have commitments to our community partners and have to make doing community service enjoyable for other students, so that we can meet the promises we’ve made.”
Spina explained that many program needs that previously did not require justification now must be included explicitly.
“We’ve never had to explicitly explain why kids need a snack during their after-school programs or why we need to have fundraising materials for larger initiatives, so it’s a new experience,” Spina said.
Many leaders responded by submitting more detailed and forward-planned budgets than in past years.
“Having to request all our funding up front has forced many teams to request more than they previously would, ensuring that it is available should the funding run out,” Spina said. “We now just plan super far ahead and try to cover as many bases as possible so that we have the resources we need if something comes up.”
While the adjustment has created more administrative work, Spina noted that the broader volunteer community may not explicitly feel the change.
“We do have to be way more proactive and way more confident in explaining what we need and why,” she said. “It forces all of our leaders to be super aware and really be advocates for our community partners.”
Spina also acknowledged that the new system has brought increased visibility to the value of community service on campus.
“I think it has also given them greater awareness of the work we do and how valuable it is,” she said.
As the semester continues, both offices appear cautiously optimistic about maintaining the balance between administrative fairness and programmatic flexibility.
Wattles expressed appreciation for the BAC’s continued support of student community engagement. Ludwin pointed to the broader success of the reform.
“Overall, the policy change has addressed exactly what was intended,” he said.
For now, Colgate’s service and faith organizations are continuing their work — this time with a shared system designed to level the financial playing field while preserving the university’s spirit of outreach.
