Biggest shakeup in 50 years to clubs and societies budgeting proposed

Imperial College Union is planning to make changes to the annual budgeting process in an effort to decrease workloads for students in management groups and modernise the process. The proposed changes mean members of the Clubs, Societies, and Projects Board (CSPB) will establish a set of principles for grant allocation, with staff at the Union taking part in the operational process of allocating grants to societies.

The reforms are the most significant in 50 years of the Union allocating grants. Previously, management groups, the executive bodies that represent societies with similar themes and activities, would help approve the budgets of clubs and societies. Two management groups would look over a society's application and if the amount was disputed, the budget would be reviewed in a CSPB meeting, a process that could take up to "40 hours".

The planned changes, due to come into effect from this academic year onwards, will bring ICU's budgeting process in line with that of other Russell Group student unions. The new timeline will move the annual budgeting deadline to the end of March. The new legislation will inform the new Annual Budgeting Committee (ABC), comprised of the Deputy President for Clubs and Societies (DPCS), and senior members of the Unions Activities team, on budgeting. Current DPCS Christian Cooper described the process as "letting CSPs design the black box, the intricacies, and grant allocation principles" whilst shifting the operational duties to the ABC. Members of the CSPB can also submit supporting statements for the ABC's consideration during their grant allocation meetings. "We're giving CSPB more time to focus on the representation and governance side," Cooper explained. "We're really going to try and capitalise on them being an advocate for their CSPs."

In addition, the way grants are given will change. "We [will] only allocate grant for core activity," said Cooper, "but we're not going to ask for an annual budget for non-core activity, like a Christmas dinner, or a social event ... that will basically reduce the amount of time that CSPs themselves need to input into the budget." Fundraising targets will also be reported by CSPs but will not "negatively impact grant allocation."

Appeals can be made, but only on the grounds of an operational dispute – "an unjust process or administrative error" – rather than on the basis that a group deserves more. Members of the CSPB can act as a "barrister", advocating for their societies. Similarly, the appeals panel will be chaired by a Union senior manager who was not involved in the budgeting stages.

Some students familiar with the matter agree to the changes in principle but are concerned about the new ABC. They believe that the change will show a lack of transparency towards budgeting as the DPCS is the only student voice on the committee. Given that the DPCS is an elected role, concerns have been voiced that the standard of student voice will vary dependent on who is in the role.