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Though the newly implemented Student Organization Operational Fund process for student groups has created some clarity in the process of obtaining university funds, some group leaders still have mixed feelings about the current system.

While some student group leaders are content with the structural changes, others believe there are flaws.

Among the most striking differences this year is the ability to apply for funding every quarter rather than annually.

“It’s better because it puts more focus on what you need for the quarter,” said Sonia Hingorany, internal vice president for the Indian Student Union, adding that it helps them eliminate what they do not need.

Unlike last year, when 42 out of the 134 student groups that applied were denied funding, everyone who applied for funding this year and was present for a budget hearing received some sort of allocation.

After being denied funding last year for what he said were unclear reasons, Jon Binney, secretary and former president of Robotics Project, was fairly pleased about this year’s system, he said.

“In the past it has been extremely partisan,” Binney said. “Looking at numbers this year there is almost no connection. ... (It’s) extremely even across the board.”

Binney was also content with the “refreshing” amount of clarity throughout the whole process, but hopes that council institutionalizes feedback.

“I’d like to see a feedback process ... taking input from groups and using that to refine the process further,” Binney said.

The fund only provides money for operational purposes, such as officer stipends, supplies and advertising. Funding for programming, events the groups organize throughout the year, can be attained from the Undergraduate Students Association Contingency fund and other sources.

While filling out the application, Hingorany said she had to provide repeated detailed descriptions about the events her group is planning to put on, even though this round of funding would not provide programming funds.

“It would have been nice to apply for program funding through (the operational funding) application,” she said, emphasizing that she had no major issues with this year’s system.

Though student groups can request as much as they want, there is a cap set at $4,317. Groups who request amounts upward of the cap are at an advantage in receiving more funds over groups like Mortar Board, which only requested $282.30.

Nat Schuster, president of the Jewish Student Union, believes this is the system’s flaw.

“If you’re not well-connected with members of the funding body you don’t learn the little hints,” Schuster said in a voice message, referring to knowing to apply above the cap for a full advantage.

Schuster also emphasized that the specified uses for operational funds creates a “real obstacle” for funding programs early in the year, he said.

“There are no funding bodies ... which provide for actual programming,” Schuster said.

Andy Green, former president of JSU, said the system is problematic.

“Groups who were considerate (to the cap) got screwed,” Green said.

Some student organizations requested upward of $20,000.

Hingorany couldn’t even “fathom” trying to justify needs for that much money within one quarter, she said.

Aliya Hussaini, external affairs director for the Muslim Student Association, said it was important for her group to request $10,505.53 regardless of the cap.

“We wanted to make it known that even though we knew we weren’t going to get that amount – our need is always much greater than the university can provide and we need to show that as much as we can,” Hussaini said.

Though the Robotics Project requested just over $900, they only received $96, but were happy considering last year’s denial.

“Last year we survived on zero,” Binney said. “We are going to get by.”

The $96 will provide the club with administrative supplies, though Binney had hoped to use the $900 toward educational events.

Asking for over $8,000, the Vietnamese Student Union said it needed that money for a range of duties, including advertising in the Daily Bruin and mass photocopying.

Now that they only received just over $1,000, they must review their proposal and prioritize, said Phong Ly, president of the club.

Student groups often have to depend on external sources even after they receive their allocations from student government.

With more and more groups on campus each year, making ends meet is always an issue group leaders are concerned about.

“I hope in the future we have a bigger pool for more funding,” Hussaini said.