Leaders of some student organizations are already starting to feel the pinch of diminished University Park Allocation Committee (UPAC) funds, while others have expressed dissatisfaction with the new policies.

The Graduate Student Association (GSA), having already been told that it will receive significantly less UPAC funding than in years past, plans to lay off its two full-time staff assistants come fall, GSA Judiciary Chairman Brian Borawski said.

Salaries for the assistants were provided mainly by UPAC funds, Borawski said.

"We're going to pay three grand out of our own pocket because we told these people we were going to keep them through the summer," Borawski said.

Borawski added that the loss of staff assistants will lower the efficiency of the GSA office and means that graduate students will no longer have a place to turn to get the type of advice university administration can't provide.

"This is the worst thing that could happen beside them kicking us out of our office," Borawski said.

UPAC Chairman Greg Heleniak said that while GSA's situation is particularly difficult, he felt the loss of the staff assistants was an acceptable sacrifice and that GSA shouldn't be entitled to special treatment.

"I think it was more or less a luxury that they became accustomed to," Heleniak said of the staff assistants.

Vicky Triponey, vice president for student affairs, said she felt there might still be alternative solutions available for GSA, including finding an additional source of funding.

"There may be some other ways we can skin the cat," Triponey said.

Money from the university's general fund, which is typically allocated to UPAC, was not allocated to UPAC this year. Last year, about $300,000 was given to UPAC in general funds to allocate to student activities and programs. Heleniak has cited the lack of university money allocated to UPAC as a reason for cuts in the amount of money available to student organizations.

In spring 2007, two new boards -- one that designates money to UPAC, the other that will assist student groups -- are slated to become active. Both the new Fee Allocation Board and Student Programming Association will be partially made up of salaried advisers.

In the past, UPAC has been entirely student-run. Its job was to allocate money from the student activity fee and university general funds. The new Fee Allocation Board, made up of students and faculty members, will now designate money to UPAC.

Triponey said $100,000 of the student activity fee would go to the Student Programming Association, a group that would provide program assistance to student groups.

Nick Stathes, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) president, has expressed dissatisfaction with what he sees as decreased student control over how the student activity fee is distributed.

"What USG has a major problem with is that we're being asked to pay $5 more for the student activity fee this year, which is used to fund student activities, and the money's specific allocation is being determined more by the administration," Stathes said.

Triponey said the purpose of Fee Allocation Board and Student Programming Association isn't to diminish student representation but to eliminate what she referred to as "hodgepodge programming."

Triponey explained that there were times when student groups would request a large amount of UPAC funds to put on an event, only to have a disproportionately small amount of students show up.

Borawski agreed with Stathes' view that the administration is trying to take control out of student hands, warning that the GSA's standing could be in danger.

"Don't be surprised if what happened to the USG happens to the GSA this year," Borawski said.

USG, once recognized by the administration as the official voice of student representation, was downgraded to club status during the spring semester in favor of the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA).

Elena Cross, College Democrats president, said the diminished UPAC funds would likely force her organization to look for other ways to maintain its level of activity.

"Members are probably having to chip in more of their own personal resources to be able to do the things we've always done," Cross said. "It's kind of a crunch now, and I think that's unfortunate."

College Republicans President Seth Bender said that his organization would have to fundraise more and look for alternative sources of money.

"It's definitely disappointing that it has to happen like this," Bender said.

He also expressed apprehension about the university's decision not to allocate any general funds to UPAC for student activities and programs.

"I think it's very important to keep money coming to the groups," he said.