The Student Allocations Committee (SAC) on Wednesday morning again moved the deadline for student organizations to request funding after some organizations reported problems that would result with a fall 2024 deadline. The move now adjusts the funding request to spring.

As originally proposed, budget requests would  have been due in fall 2024, but that left some  student organizations concerned for how they would go about funding their events. A prime example of this was the Student Art Gallery Board, which runs the on-campus Allen Priebe and Annex Galleries.

“The change in the SAC budget process severely impacts the Gallery Board’s ability to have exhibitions at UW Oshkosh,” Department of Art Gallery Director Leslie Walfish said about the fall 2024 proposal. 

The Student Art Gallery Board is made up of students from all over campus who are interested in bringing art and artists to UWO to be displayed in the two galleries in the Arts and Communications Center. 

“The student board researches and selects exhibitions for the galleries which are free and open seven days a week for all visitors,” Walfish said. “Many classes and community members take advantage of having this unique opportunity to see art, right here in Oshkosh.”

Last year the galleries welcomed 4,305 visitors. Thanks to the work of the Gallery Board, artists from around the world come to campus to meet with students to speak about their artistic practice and what it means to be an artist today. 

In an email sent out at the end of September, SAC announced that all student organization budget proposals will be submitted in fall 2024 for the working budget for the 2024-25 academic year. 

With budgets not submitted until after the fall semester has begun, SAC wouldn’t have been able to give its approval until late fall at the earliest. 

This would have been be an issue for the galleries, because planning for the exhibitions starts a year in advance.

“Artists require sufficient time to create work and to design unique exhibitions for UW Oshkosh,” Walfish said. “Arranging for the shipping of art, for the artist’s transportation and stay, advertising and installing exhibitions all takes months of planning and advanced scheduling.” 

The artists, just as any other guest presenter on campus, are promised compensation for their time and travel expenses.

The fall 2024 budget timeline would have made it “nearly impossible to schedule exhibitions and visiting artists for the academic year,” Walfish said. “It would also impact the group’s ability to plan activities and recruit more members to the group, as many activities are planned in the first few weeks of the semester.”

Nelson also sent out an email on Oct. 20 asking student organization leaders to share their input on the timeline change.

The survey asked what was the preferred timeline: submit budgets as part of the organization recognition process during spring semester, submit budgets in spring and fall separately from the recognition process, submit budgets in fall at the beginning of the semester with funds needed for September to be requested in the spring or submit budgets in the spring outside of the recognition process.

“[Luiza] and all of SAC has been very open to hearing from us, inviting anyone interested to share their concerns,” Walfish said.

“I am always available to help student orgs on campus with their budgets,” Nelson said. “Please reach out with any questions, comments or concerns.”

Note: This story has been updated to include the latest change to the budget timeline.