Recriminations as Bo’ gets cut

The Clubs and Societies Board (CSB) have allocated their funding for the next academic year, with the City and Guilds College Union (CGCU) taking a 30% cut whilst the Royal Society of Science Union (RSCU) allocation is to rise by 95%.

The CGCU’s 30% reduction was the largest cut suffered by any of the groups represented at the meeting. CGCU President, Victor du Mesnil du Buisson commented that next year is going to be “painful” for the CGCU and doubts that their allocated funding of £6720 will be enough.

In particular, there has been a substantial cut in funding to the Veteran Vehicle Motor Club (VVMC) that maintain and use Bo, the 1902 James and Browne car, and Derrick, the 1926 Ner-a-Car motorcycle, both motorised mascots of the CGCU. The club only received £415 which will provide funding for insurance but no funding for equipment and repair, travel costs such as the congestion charge and fuel or funding for entrance into the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

Robert Carter, Bo Driver for 2010-11, told Felix that “the current outcomes of the budgeting meeting will have detrimental effects on the operation of the club. It effectively puts an end to a 75 year tradition of Bo’s entry in the historic London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.”

He-in Cheong, former President of the CGCU, also commented that “it is extremely sad that traditions are slowly getting forgotten and precious things are not taken care of. However because of a computer error that provided the wrong number of members of Team Bo, its budget was massively cut.”

Deputy President (Clubs & Societies) Heather Jones admitted that there had been an ICT problem, which has now been fixed. It is believed that the club has approximately eight members. It has been suggested that the club look for funding from alumni.

£353,676.59 was shared out among Imperial’s clubs and societies in a gruelling eight-hour debate at the CSB’s annual budgeting meeting on Monday. This is an increase from £321,247.25 allocated for the current academic year. Management groups are responsible for different types of societies – for example, all sports clubs are managed by the Athletics Clubs Committee. Faculty Unions are responsible for faculty societies. Each society had previously submitted a breakdown of their finances, including how much they proposed spending on specific activities in the coming year and the amount of subsidy requested from the CSB for each. The total amount of funding requested was approximately £85,000 more than the amount of money available, leading to fierce debates described as “unpleasant” by Victor du Mesnil du Buisson.

There was initial confusion surrounding the final budget allocations from the CSB, which were displayed as also including funding from the Representation and Welfare Board (RWB) and the Executive Committee. This meant that Faculty Union allocation cuts or increases were disguised; most members believed that the RCSU had been cut.

However, the RCSU’s funding from the CSB is set to to increase from £1,729 to £3,370. Scott Heath told Felix that he is very happy that his clubs now have a “representative level of funding” after being under-funded in the past. Despite the rise, he added that the amount still “pales in comparison to the actual running costs of any Faculty Union and their Departmental Societies.”

Heath also said that he felt bad for BioMed Society, who received no funding at all, and suggests that they move from the ICSMSU (Imperial College School of Medicine Students’ Union) to the RCSU, where they will receive more support, he claimed. Medic President David Smith ICSMSU would redistribute some of their allocation to ensure that BioMed Society receive.

Also to receive large increases in funding are The Royal School of Mines with a 75% rise and Silwood Park with an 80% rise. CSB funding to the Imperial College School of Medicine Students’ Union (ICSMSU) is also to increase by 3%. ICSMSU President, David Smith, told Felix that he agreed to take a blanket cut from his initial allocation because he felt it was right for Medics to share the pain. He said that it won’t be easy to distribute the £500 cut, but it should not have an adverse impact on Medic’s activities. However, Smith also warned that they wouldn’t be able to survive with any less.

There has been some criticism of the large spending on expensive activities such as those undertaken by the Gliding Society, which has received £13,850, and the Underwater Society, which has received £10,564; both more than the £6720 allocated to the CGCU. However Nathaniel Bottrell, Recreational Clubs Committee Chair, argues that the “Union grant is there to help students participate in activities that they wouldn’t normally be able to.”

Some of those present at the meeting also criticised the way in which it was run. Scott Heath pointed out that the smaller clubs tended to lose out to bigger clubs because people think in amounts rather than percentages; whereas £50 makes a substantial difference to a small Arts and Entertainment society, it has little effect on an Athletics Clubs Committee club, for example. Another person present at the meeting told Felix that in addition to people defending their own clubs, there were “personal arguments”; however, this claim is rejected by Heath. Nathaniel Bottrell also commented that Management groups have a responsibility to be clued-up, adding that no one was at the meeting to sabotage other people’s clubs.