At their meeting Tuesday night, the University Park Allocation Committee passed a new policy that allows certain programming organizations to be eligible to receive up to $250,000 per year.

The provision created a new category of groups called a Standing Allocation status. The policy states that any organization is eligible to apply to UPAC by December 1 to become a Standing Allocation organization, which enjoys a $250,000 funding ceiling. The organization best fitting the description is the newly independent Movin’ On.

UPAC Overall Chair Mark Donovan said that Movin’ On was the primary impetus for passing this legislation now.

Last year, student leaders came together and recognized the need for a single unified end-of-year concert. Up until now, there have been several medium-sized end-of-year concerts. Separately, these venues were unable to bring in the large artists that University Park students have been asking for, but combined they cost a significant amount of money. Combining festivals saves money for the students. Rather than paying for three stages, three sets of sound equipment, three sets of generators, and three of everything else, only the infrastructure for a single concert is needed.

However, Movin’ On is certainly not the only eligible organization. To receive this status, the policy states that the organization must meet these three criteria:

1. It must be a University-affiliated group or recognized student organization.
2. It must have a sole purpose of serving a campus-wide programming need that contributes to the well-rounded experience of University Park students.
3. It has the capacity to follow through and utilize the funding.

UPAC serves as the arbiter for these conditions. The group must have a two-thirds majority vote from the committee to be granted Standing Allocation status.

Contrary to what was reported in yesterday’s Collegian, UPAC tabled a second provision which would allow multiple organizations to combine their $20,000 honorarium caps (the amount allocated to groups for paying speakers, artists, etc.), therefore potentially creating even more money for an organization like Movin’ On to work with—however, other groups’ contributions to an effort like that would be completely optional.

In addition, Donovan said, “The $250,000 figure is merely an honoraria cap… It doesn’t guarantee a group that much funding even if they were to request the full amount.”

UPAC’s decision appears to be a step in the right direction regarding money for big venues, and at minimal cost to other student organizations. Nevertheless, we’ll have to see how it plays out.