PRESS RELEASE: IU Funding Board says it has decreased funding to support student organizations this year

Fellow IU Students and Student Leaders,

IU Funding Board has been and will continue to be committed to the enhancement of the IU Bloomington community. A core purpose of the Board is to alleviate financial barriers that prevent student organizations from contributing impactful and fulfilling events to the IU Bloomington community. Covid-19 impacted the world heavily and IU Bloomington felt the impact as well, with a major reduction in student-led events and restrictions on the size of campus events. As a consequence, the IU Funding Board amassed a significant amount of financial reserves. From Spring 2023 to Fall 2024 we instituted a series of changes that enabled us to reduce our cash reserves entirely and get the money into the hands of student organizations. In the 2023-24 academic year, we allocated over $1.2 million, supporting more than 400 events and initiatives for the student body. It was amazing to see our campus full of meaningful opportunities for student engagement.. However, it gives me great sadness to inform the student body that in reviewing our current financial state, I determined that we are unable to provide funding at a similar level in the 2024-2025 academic year.

The changes made to the IU Funding Board followed a series of recommendations made by the 2023 Committee for Fee Review, administered by IU Student Government and the IU Graduate and Professional Student Government. The Committee’s recommendations were needed and enabled the IU Funding Board to step into a new, more impactful direction. However, as a result of the recommendations, the IU Funding Board received a reduction in funding from the IU Bloomington Student Activity Fee. While this reduction did not harm our ability to support the mission and goals of the nearly 770 student organizations during the 2023-2024 academic year, it will impact our ability for the 2024-2025 academic year. Due to the decrease in our funding for the upcoming academic year, our estimates show that we will only be able to support around 100 events, providing a maximum of $2,000 or less to each of those student organizations.

Understanding the major costs associated with hosting events for our community, I personally have reached out to all of the relevant administrators to see how we can rectify this major problem. However, at the moment we have received no solution.

I write this letter to inform you all of the current predicament in hopes that a solution can be found swiftly and we as a community do not reap the negative effects. In the interim, we are doing our best to review funding requests for lower amounts in hopes that we will soon be able to increase our available funds. Please know that the IU Funding Board will continue to contribute to a thriving student body to the best of our ability and will continue conversations in hopes of a timely resolution.

Kind Regards,
Larry McDowell
President and Chairman