The pilgrimage has begun.
During January and the first week of February, groups that rely on student incidental fees must make their way down to the EMU Rogue Room and face the wrath of the ASUO Programs Finance Committee.
It can be tedious, but it’s really not that bad.
“Good evening, and welcome to your PFC budget meeting,” begins PFC chairwoman Kate Shull.
Shull, a sophomore and business major at the University, is virtually unflappable in her leadership role as she patiently walks each student group through the hearing process.
The chairwoman, who got a first-hand look at PFC last year as an administrative assistant for the group, will complete more than 70 hours worth of meetings with the six other PFC members to decide how to spend almost $5 million in student incidental fees.
The decision has been made more difficult by a March 2000 Supreme Court decision called Southworth, in which the high court ruled a university doesn’t violate students’ First Amendment rights by funding groups that other students oppose.
So groups such as the LGBTQA, the Jewish Student Union and the Oregon Commentator are all funded by the same student incidental fee.

Another potential obstacle is making sure each of the student groups has a proper mission and goals statement, which the PFC checks thoroughly to ensure the statement complies with affirmative action rules. In December, 100 student groups had their mission and goals statements approved, and at least 10 others were temporarily benched by the PFC. Those groups will have their goals re-examined sometime this month.
The committee is also working hard this year to avoid callbacks. During the 2001-02 school year, PFC made an “accounting error” that misstated available funds by $536,000, resulting in many groups being recalled and having their funding slashed by thousands of dollars.
“Sometimes it’s a bit overwhelming,” Shull said. “But at the same time, having seven people that are very involved with the University and have strong ties to the groups involved gives us a good chance.”
The chairwoman will divide her time between 30 hours worth of PFC research and meetings, 12 credit hours at the University and 19 hours a week working at Pentagon Federal Credit Union.
If all goes well, PFC hopes to have a surplus left over in February. Returning student and at-large member James Tilford is one of the other six PFC members who hopes to streamline the process.
Tilford said he’s a part of PFC because he wanted to impact the student incidental fee process itself. At 13 credit hours, the business major said he thinks he can handle the time constraints associated with the job, which is one of the reasons he’s not involved with any other student groups at the moment.
Former ASUO vice president and current PFC Programs appointee Joy Nair said she’s planning on using her PFC experience to help out when she begins law school. The senior is a double major in business and international studies.
Executive appointee Mike Martell, a sophomore studying business and French, said he started working with PFC because “it involves working with fun people.” He added that the stress of the job should help him with any future career.
PFC senator seat No. 1 Alyce Chong also said she joined PFC to understand the incidental fee process better.
“I feel I’m an average person at this University who probably had the same thoughts and curiosities like many students on campus about how this fee was being allocated,” she said.
Chong, a junior and business administration major with a finance concentration, is taking 15 credits this term. In past years she has attended Asian Christian Fellowship and been a part of APASU. She said she’d like to use her experience from PFC in a possible investment banking career or as a consultant.
PFC senator seat No. 2 Alex Dietrich said he first became interested in PFC when his student group had to go through its own budget hearings last year. The senior political science major has been a member of Sigma Nu for four years, and works in the campaign office of Congressman Peter DeFazio, D-Eugene.
Finally, PFC Senator seat No. 3, Mike Sherman, said he joined PFC to help ensure fiscal responsibility. With a triple major in political science, business and economics, Sherman has senior-level standing in credit hours but is only a sophomore at the University. He’s taking 13 credits this term, and also spends time as a member of the College Republicans.