Memorandum of Support

To: Council of the UNLV Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA)

From: GPSA Treasurer and the Chair of the GPSA Ways & Means Committee

Subject: Proposal of the Graduate and Professional Student Association’s Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025

Date: August 21, 2024

Introduction

The Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) presents its proposed operating budget for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), totaling $433,711.32. This budget aims to balance the needs of maintaining essential services, such as the Graduate Commons and the Sponsorship Program, while addressing the challenges of reduced funding sources. Compared to Fiscal Year 2024, the FY25 budget reflects significant adjustments due to the absence of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and the need to rebuild GPSA's reserves. The proposed budget allocates funds across four major categories: General Operations, Personnel Costs, Hosting and Travel, and Internal and External Scholarships, with a focus on sustaining core programs despite the financial constraints.

Proposal Details

The proposed fiscal year 2025 (FY25) operating budget for GPSA is designed to preserve the flagship Sponsorship Program while maintaining and operating the Graduate Commons at Lied Library. In recent years, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, helped to produce a more robust Sponsorship budget; however, without such funds for FY25 or an increase to the graduate and professional student fee, major cuts needed to be made. Additionally, a large portion of GPSA’s reserves were used at the end of fiscal year 2024 to fulfill the Sponsorship Program’s obligations to applications which met the requirements under a previous operating policy. $75,000 is dedicated to rebuilding the reserves account in order to retain the financial integrity of GPSA and to provide a sustainable budgetary framework in future fiscal years. The following list outlines the four major budget categories, expected revenue, and acknowledges the programs which have been cut or reduced in funding:

1. General Operations ($70,433.82):
   • General Operations includes all general expenses and supplies for GPSA, including but not limited to purchased services, equipment and repairs, software licenses, and food and beverage.
   • The largest expenses in this category are:
     1. Equipment and Furnishings at $22,868.82 with $18,868.82 reserved for renovations to the Graduate Commons,
     2. Food and Beverage at $12,750,
     3. Supplies at $15,500, and
     4. Purchased Services at $11,000.
2. Personnel Costs ($185,077.50):
   • GPSA Personnel Costs Cover:
     1. The salary and fringe benefits of the Business Manager & Advisor at $97,836,
     2. Hourly wages for the student workers at the Graduate Commons at $47,475,
     3. The GPSA Graduate Assistant stipend and benefits at $26,366, and
     4. Executive Board & President’s Cabinet stipends at $13,400.
   • These expenses are necessary for GPSA’s operations and the maintenance of the Graduate Commons on the 2nd Floor of Lied Library.
3. Hosting and Travel ($5,000):
   • While Hosting expenses have mostly been absorbed into General Operations (see Food and Beverage and Purchased Services), $500 has been appropriated for a mixer for the Nevada Student Alliance.
   • Travel expenses for the GPSA Executive Board members to attend necessary state government meetings are also covered at $4,500 split equally among three trips: two Quarterly Board of Regents meetings – September 2024 and June 2025 – as well as the state legislative session beginning in January 2025.
4. Internal and External Scholarships ($173,200):
   • The bulk of the proposed FY25 budget is for the Sponsorship Program which has been appropriated with $140,000 from GPSA and supplemented by $35,000 in external funding.
   • Other internal scholarships include stipends for members of the GPSA Council and Sponsorship Committee at $14,400, Research Forum Awards at $5,200, and general GPSA awards at $1,100.
   • External scholarships are those that benefit organizations outside of GPSA or the Graduate College: $7,500 is appropriated for Rebel Rebound and $5,000 is appropriated for CARE Advocates.
5. Expected Revenue and Total Expenditures:
   • GPSA collects revenue from three sources. The following are each source and their expected revenue for FY25:
     1. Student Fees ($460,180.20)
     2. Petty Cash ($3,220)
     3. Carry Over from FY24 ($53,394.58)
   • After accounting for the $75,000 directed towards the Reserves Rebuild, total expected revenue is $441,794.78.
   • Budgeted expenditures for FY25 are at $433,711.32.
     1. The remaining $8,083.46 will remain as discretionary funds.
6. Programs With Reduced or No Funding in FY25:
   • As mentioned above, several programs did receive cuts to portions or to the entirety of their budget. Programs which are not appropriated funding for FY25 include:
     1. Continuation and Support Grant
     2. Open Access Journal Fund
     3. RSO Fund
     4. Grad Rebel Tutors
     5. Study and Finals week treats in the Graduate Commons
   • Programs which have been reduced in funding include:
     1. GPSA Awards – Only one (1) of each award will be given across the graduate and professional student body
     2. Research Forum Session Awards – Only first-place winners for each session will be awarded

Conclusion

The FY25 budget strategically allocates funds to ensure the continuity of key GPSA programs, including the Sponsorship Program, Graduate Commons operations, and essential scholarships. However, due to funding limitations, certain programs have faced reductions or have been unfunded this year. Looking ahead, future fee increases may be necessary to restore these programs and ensure the ongoing support and enhancement of graduate and professional student services at UNLV. The proposed budget reflects a commitment to financial prudence while striving to meet the needs of the GPSA community.

Sincerely,