A new categorization may soon be available to student groups whose main goal is to raise money for off-campus organizations.
If a proposal before the Undergraduate Council of Students passes, groups will be eligible for a new designation, known as Category S for "service group," which would include all the benefits accorded to other student groups with the exception of access to student funds.
Currently, only student groups whose funds are spent on activities directly benefiting the student body can be recognized by UCS. The change would not allow service groups to access student activities money, but would give them most other conveniences enjoyed by officially recognized groups, including an account with the Student Activities Office, the right to reserve room space through the Scheduling Office, and permission to include "Brown" in the group's name.
The only difference, according to UCS Student Activities Chair Brady Wyrtzen '11, is that Category S groups would not have the privilege of requesting a $100 subsidy twice each year.
Still, Wyrtzen said, "A lot of groups that do fund-raising also play a big role in activism and awareness" and consequently have gained approval as Category I, II or III organizations recognized by the University.
The proposal was discussed at a weekly meeting of the council last night, and the UCS general body will vote on the code changes at its meeting next Wednesday.
Until now, Wyrtzen said at the meeting, the SAC has denied Category I status to groups whose purpose is primarily to raise money because the student activities fund, which comes out of students' pockets, "is meant to be spent for students on campus and not just to be filtered through off-campus organizations."
Category S groups would not be eligible to gain Category II or III status, the greater designations offered by UCS, according to the proposal.
"There have been groups that came in and wanted to be categorized, and we couldn't," Wyrtzen said. "We want to provide support for them."
