A financial amendment to the Union Constitution approved by the student body is now in effect, but Union officials still have not laid out specific plans for its implementation. The amendment makes sweeping changes to the management of the Student Activities Fee, which funds all Union clubs and events.The most controversial provision of the amendment requires clubs to submit a financial disclosure, including all sources of income, in order to receive Union funds. Some, including the Brandeis Orthodox Organization (BOO), worrie that such disclosures will hurt clubs that receive outside funding in the allocation process and force the identities of anonymous donors to be made public.

Union officials, however, claim there is no cause for worry. They cite a Union bylaw that states "Allocations decisions shall not unduly penalize chartered organizations for outside fundraising."

Former BOO President Yoni Goodman says he say "been amply reassured... abuses will not take place."

"We don't want the Finance Board to be a club's final or only source when seeking funding and we strongly encourage fundraising," Finance Board (formerly the Allocations Board) Chair Mark Schlangel said. "In the end, we want to know if the club leaders are properly managing the club's funds, so that we can be reassured that the money we allocate is being properly budgeted to best serve the club and the Brandeis Community."

Union officials also cite legal reasons for the requirements.

"With most of the reporting stuff, it's important to remember its not arbitrary stuff we come up with," Union President Josh Brandfon said. "It's bigger than the Student Union - it's the IRS."

Regulations concerning donation disclosures are still in very preliminary stages, according to Union Treasurer Andrei Khots. He says he will "try to protect" the anonymity of donors. Whether the purpose of donations will have to be reported has not yet been determined, says Khots.

"The amounts will be made public," Khots said. "That's what the amendment says."

Clubs also must report their property. These records can be viewed on myBrandeis.edu. According to Brandfon, because all club property is also property of the Union, "for the most part" clubs can use other clubs' property at no charge.

A "financial liaison" must be appointed by every club that receives Union funds and must attend mandatory training workshops on the relevant financial policies of the Union.

This, according to Khots, will be done in order to ensure all regulations are understood. Though he has no detailed plans for the workshops, he says they will last a "half hour, tops."

Schlangel says a portion of the workshop "will be an open discussion to allow club leaders to voice their allocation concerns and to suggest modifications and further amendments to our finance model."

One provision calls for an annual review of Union finances, but, according to Brandfon, is purposely vague in describing what that entails. Khots and Brandfon say they do not know what will be in this year's report.

"It probably will be started by the next treasurer," Khots said.

The amendment renames the Allocations Board and expands its powers. The "Finance Board" will "assist the Treasurer in overseeing financial matters of organizations that receive funding from the Board," according to the amended constitution.

It also establishes a fee, collected through a small tuition increase, to pay the salary of an administrative assistant to track Union finances, and ensures that all unused money from the Allocations Fund at the end of each semester will be used in following semesters for future allocations.

Allowing money to flow from one semester to the next will prevent unused money from multiple semesters from accumulating in a roll-over fund. Such a fund had accumulated over past semesters and is now being used to finance the expansion of the Usdan game room.