In addition to the Instructionally Related Activity Fee, each CSUN student pays $84 per semester for the Associated Students fee.  Fifty cents per student per semester of that fee is put in the Academically Related Reserves Account (ARRA), for a total this year of approximately $100,000.

The purpose of ARRA is to encourage individual (or small groups of) CSUN undergraduate and graduate students’ intellectual development through partial funding of the costs associated with the creation of original research or other scholarly works (papers, posters, performance pieces, etc.), and their presentation at academic or professional conferences or competitions.

Up to $2,000 is available for small group academic research projects, and typically, up to $500 per person. The following are hypothetical examples of eligible research projects:

• Thesis research/projects
• Senior projects which may include interviews, field trips, animation, etc.
• Film projects, screenwriting, play, workshop, musical work and performance
• Scientific and quasi-scientific study or experiment
• Research projects relating to one’s academic discipline

Examples of appropriate (and inappropriate) expenditures for projects and other information about these funds may be found in the last two pages of the A.S. Budget Language, which is available in our offices or at www.csunas.org.

Up to $500 (a maximum of $3,000 for as many as six students per conference) is available for travel to academic conferences or other places where students’ scholarly work is presented. Examples of covered expenditures include conference registration fees, airfare, hotel, and ground transportation.

ARRA funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no annual application process. Requests for ARRA funding may be submitted at least one month before needed throughout the academic year by currently enrolled students. In order to qualify for presentation-related conference travel, students must submit proof of an invitation or receipt from the upcoming conference. Retroactive funding is not permitted.

In addition to the Associated Students fee, each CSUN student pays $15 per semester for the Instructionally Related Activity (IRA) fee for an annual total approaching $1,700,000 in 2011-2012.  Different from the Academically Related Reserve Account (ARRA) of the Associated Students, the IRA fee provides funding for course-related projects or activities that extend beyond those activities funded through the State University Fee.  Here are excerpts from the definition of IRA programs found in the CSUN policy:

• It must be sponsored by an instructional department.
• It must be integrally related to the formal instructional offerings.
• It must be directly associated with one or more courses offered for credit by the sponsoring department.
• It may not fund independent study courses.
• The program must involve enrolled students in significant out‑of‑class activity, which results in a planned product; such as competition or performance before an audience, a display of material of instructional value to the University community, or a written publication available to students of the University
• It may only be used to support programs which meet the definition of instructionally related activities, and which fall into approved categories. The following categories were initially approved: Intercollegiate Athletics; Publications; Forensics; Music, Drama and Dance Performance; Model United Nations, and Art Exhibits.

While current allocations from IRA tend to focus on those activities affiliated with Intercollegiate Athletics and the College of Arts, Media and Communication, this fund has also supported required class projects, field trips, and internship-type experiences in other arenas.  All disciplines are welcome.  While the Associated Students has only a tangential relationship to the IRA fee, we wish to encourage faculty to consider seeking funding from the fee, in order to enhance the educational experience of the students.

The funding cycle (and the website application) focuses on the annual allocation process, but still permits allocations during the subsequent year when a modest amount of funds typically remain available.  Please let us know if we can assist you as you consider putting forth a funding proposal for the coming academic year.

Academically Related Reserves Account

The Academically Related Reserves Account (ARRA) supplements Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) funding (associated with specific courses).  There is a need for these requests to go somewhere other than unallocated reserves, which is where chartered clubs and organizations can go for funding.  Student research proposals for activities that are purely creative and/or innovative in nature should have predictable and reliable access to funding support, similar to the National Endowment for the Arts or National Endowment for the Humanities, however, on a much smaller scale.

The Associated Students’ Academically Related Reserve Account (ARRA) is intended to fulfill this need.  Allocation requests will be heard by the A.S. Finance Committee, with its recommendations going to Senate for final approval just like requests from Unallocated Reserves.  Announcements about the availability of funds will be posted across campus and advertisements put in the campus newspaper.  There will be no annual process.  Allocations will be made on a first come-first served basis, based on demonstrated need, funds available, adherence to the criteria, and quality of the request.  ARRA requests will be heard as a separate item on the agenda, but will be heard and deliberated on in the same manner as requests from Unallocated Reserves.

Examples of ARRA funding include but are not limited to:

• A senior thesis project which may include interviews, field trips, animation, etc.
• An individual student’s film documentary project or a short video production, although CTVA senior film projects receive student fee funding through Instructionally Related Activities
  • A screenwriting or stage play workshop.
  • A student–composed and/or performed musical work.
  • A scientific or quasi-scientific study or experiment
  • A student research project dealing with engineering design and/or development.

These are hypothetical examples of the types of projects that may be funded. The intention is to encourage CSUN student intellectual development through innovative activities.

Funds will not be allocated for the following academic research projects or creative works:

Requests by student(s) shall not be funded unless sponsorship is given and guidance is rendered to the student(s) involved in the research and/or project they are doing by a member of the faculty.

Funds shall not be given to any student(s) who has previously requested and received funds for the current academic year.

Funds shall not be used for support of or opposition to candidates for public office nor issues currently before the voters.

Funds shall not be directly awarded to a particular individual or group of individuals for their own personal benefit.

Funding shall not be allocated for the purchase of books.

Funds shall not be used for the reproduction, typing or binding of thesis projects.

Funds shall not be allocated for the design and implementation of web-sites.

Student and project research participants shall not be reimbursed for services provided on the projects or research by themselves.  Nor does the A.S. Finance Committee approve funds to pay for tasks that the committee believes can be done by the project participants.

Honoraria will not be paid to California State University, Northridge students, faculty, administrators or staff.  The definition of “honoraria” for purposes of this policy shall be any form of gratuity extended to a person for services rendered.

Funding shall be limited to no more than $2,000 per project and, generally, $500 per person.

AS Funding may not account for more than 2/3 of the total research costs of the project.

Additional funding shall not be allocated to a project already allocated through the ARRA that A.S. fiscal year

No funding will be given to reimburse money spent on the project prior to the A.S. Senate’s allocation of funds

Normally, student organizations may not use their travel “allowance” to send students to academically related conferences when travelers to the same conference are being supported by funding from Academically Related Reserves

Academically Equipment Purchases

1.   At the discretion of the Finance Committee with the approval of Senate, ownership of equipment purchased with ARRA funds will be maintained as property of the Associated Students.

2.   Storage and maintenance of equipment purchased with ARRA funds shall be come the financial responsibility of the department sponsoring the request

Academic Conference Travel 

Funding for academic conference travel shall be allocated according to the A.S. annual budget and procedures handbook.

Academically related conferences or competition shall be defined as a student(s) having submitted a research or creative work proposal, and their presentation having been accepted or having been invited to present.

Each individual(s) must show proof of an invitation to present a project or paper.

The signature of a member of the regular faculty of the pertinent department is required for consideration for funding of travel to any academically related conference.

Funding through ARRA is designated to the individual students creating or presenting their work on behalf of the pertinent academic department and not to student organizations per se.

Exceptions.  Under extraordinary conditions, exceptions to the ARRA funding limits may be made by the A.S. Senate with a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the total voting membership.

 Travel guidelines

From the A.S. Budget Language:

 Travel policy — The following guidelines apply to funding requests for travel from chartered organizations, departments and through ARRA except those specific guidelines described elsewhere. Travel guidelines are more explicit than many other policies and regulations because travel is very expensive on a per-person basis.

1.  General

1. Travel for AS officers, employees and volunteers, when in the scope of their duties, when approved by the supervisor, and when in the budget, is generally fully funded.
2. Funding for ARRA and student organization travel is restricted to $400 per person and to round-trip airfare and/or mileage; local transportation; lodging, and conference registration fees, and with at least 50% from other sources (i.e., individual contribution(s), donations, fund-raisers, organizational support)
3. Even though the AS will not cover some travel costs for ARRA or student organizations, (e.g., food, or extra
4. No individual will be funded for non-AS business travel more than once a year
5. Only costs that are known to increase between the time a Budget Amendment Request is submitted and when funds are allocated (Airfare for example) may be reimbursed despite not having receiving Senate approval prior to their purchase, if they were purchased after the initial request for funds was submitted.
6. Any travel costs funded by the Associated Students will require the same level of proof as that which is required by the California State University, Northridge to prove that the actual travel costs were incurred and that the travel occurred.  This may include boarding passes, receipts indicating the locale and date of the expense.
7. Just as is the case with AS fee support of any student or University program, such fee support does not indicate sponsorship or any financial, tort, legal or other liability for the program, service or effort or travel by the payee
8. Normally, student organizations may not use their travel “allowance” to send students to academically related conferences when travelers to the same conference are being supported by funding from Academically Related Reserves

2. Academically related conferences where a student has submitted a research or creative work proposal, and their work has been accepted for presentation.

1. The financial equivalent of up to $500 each for up to six individuals will generally be considered for funding for any conference or gathering or,generally, from any one department in any one academic year.

3. Non-academically related conferences (e.g., leadership conference, competition)

1. Travelers may be members or officers recognized as the group delegate(s) in a manner consistent with the organization’s normal procedures.
2. The financial equivalent of up to two individuals will be considered for funding for any conference or gathering or from any one organization in any one academic year.
3. Funding is restricted to the lesser of $400 per person or up to 50% of the actual  cost of the conference or gathering.
4. Where travel is an essential element of the ability of a student organization’s fundamental purpose, as determined by Finance Committee (intercollegiate sport clubs, Forensics Society, Model United Nations, field trip-focused groups, as historical examples), the Senate may increase the funding from Unallocated Reserves for travel by a 2/3 vote of the total voting membership.
5. The allocation may never exceed 50% of the actual cost of travel.

4. Transportation.  For all A.S. programs/activities travel, the most economical mode of transportation should be employed.  Public transportation, whenever possible, should be employed in preference to private automobiles.  Where a private automobile is employed, the individual will be reimbursed at a maximum rate equivalent to the state-approved rate ($0.55 per mile on March 1, 2010.

5. Lodging

1. A.S. officers, senators, volunteers and employees will have their lodging paid in full when on official corporation business, except during tight budgetary periods and only when approved by the supervisor and when included in the annual or amended budget.
2. Student organization and ARRA travelers may use the total lodging cost when calculating their actual cost of travel but will generally be allocated up to $70 per night per person

6.Food

A.S. does not fund meals except for those traveling on A.S. business.  However, student organization and ARRA travelers may use the following levels when calculating their actual cost of travel.  When A.S. officers or staff are traveling on approved A.S. business, the pier diem amounts for meals are $10.00 for breakfast; $15.00 for lunch, and $25.00 for supper.  An additional allotment of $5.00 per day for incidentals (tips, taxes, etc.) obtains after the first 24 hours of travel

7.Liability. Release Forms, Proof of Insurance, Driver’s License, DMV Record

In accordance with Executive Order 590 requirements, signed waivers must be obtained from each person traveling on an A.S. sponsored trip.  If an AS-rented or AS-owned or private vehicle is used, valid driver’s license, proof of liability, proof of completion of a safe driving course and permission to access the driver’s DMV record is required.  Forms are available in the A.S. Central Office and must be completed PRIOR TO TAKING THE TRIP.