Student Assembly

As discussed Thursday, 1 March 2007.

Drafted by Ryan Lavin ‘09

Student Helping Students (SHS) is a program first established by the Cornell University Student Assembly in 1985 to assist students in financial need. SHS has evolved into a fund that provides students with grants in cases of family emergencies and unexpected crisis.

A program funded by students for students, SHS receives a $1.00 per student allocation form the Undergraduate Student Activity Fee as last set by the Student Assembly in 2006. Since the program’s early days, an endowment receiving a certain percentage of the per student allocation has been set up so that SHS can eventually be self sufficient.

This document — upon approval by the Student Assembly — shall serve to provide direction for Student Helping Students for years to come.

Source of Funding

Funding for the Student Helping Students program will be provided by a per student allocation from the undergraduate student activity fee, to be set every two years by the Student Assembly in accordance with by-line funding regulations. For the academic years of 2005 through 2007, this allocation was equal to -----------$1.00 per student.

Administration of Funds

1. The Student Assembly has delegated responsibility for the Student Helping Students fund to the Joint Assemblies Financial Aid Review Committee, herein referred to as JAFARC. JAFARC shall maintain the authority, through the Student Assembly, to review and set goals and guidelines for the fund. As such, the Chairperson of JAFARC will make all necessary presentations before the Student Assembly on behalf of the fund, including annual end of the year reports of the endowment and those required for the SAF setting process in the fall of each odd-numbered year.

2. On a day-to-day basis, the Financial Aid Office, under the direction of the director of Financial Aid or his/her designee(s), will manage the fund. These responsibilities include the following:

a. Creation, maintenance, and distribution of an application form b. Receipt and review of applications for SHS funds c. Counseling recipients and potential recipients of fund money as need be d. Making recommendations on a case by case basis to JAFARC on applications received e. Maintain account specifics and provide general reports to JAFARC on the status of non-endowment monies in the fund before the close of each semester

3. JAFARC will review recommendations made by the Financial Aid Office regarding individual applications for SHS funds in a manner that is efficient, responsive to emergency needs, protective of privacy rights of applicants, and consistent to fund goals.

Funding Receipt Guidelines

1. In order to qualify for funding the applicant must be a registered, matriculated Cornell undergraduate student.

2. Undergraduate students may receive SHS funds for (but not limited to): a. Travel expenses relating to emergency situations, including (but not limited to) death of a relative and family crisis. b. Food, clothing and shelter expenses due to fire, destruction, or natural disaster. c. Replacement of stolen or irreparably damaged goods not due to negligence. d. Health expenses not covered by health insurance, including but not limited to standard eye care, and standard hearing improvement.

Allocation Guidelines

1. Unless otherwise determined by JAFARC and approved by the Student Assembly, 100% of the collected funds from the Student Activity Fee every by-line funding cycle for Students Helping Students will be earmarked for the fund’s endowment to allow for its annual earnings to continue to grow and pay into the income budget for allocation. This policy will be renewed every by-line funding cycle by JAFARC.

2. The remaining twenty percent will be earmarked to the operating fund as administered by the Financial Aid Office.

3. The maximum total amount any student may receive in a single allocation shall equal $1000. The award may exceed the maximum of $1,000 with a 2/3 approval of the voting committee members.

4. A student is eligible for a maximum of 2 semesters worth of SHS funding.