[Conlangs-Conf] Organizational structure

It turns out that the ASUC sponsorship will probably be in the form of
an "ASUC Event" rather than as group money for the LCS per se. What
this means is the money doesn't get channeled through the LCS;
instead, it's just an earmarked chunk of the Event Fund, that I as
organizer can then spend / reimburse / PO towards event costs. Somehow
it's still connected to the LCS though.

I can accept donations by having people send a check to "ASUC / First
Language Creation Conference" or somesuch. That would be handled by
the person in charge of events, who ensures it's earmarked to the
conference, and gives out the nonprofit-ID-number receipts (I'm not
allowed to do that).

The "first" money that gets spent is the ASUC earmarked /
strings-attached stuff. Once that's gone, all other money is
effectively mine, NSA (via my position as organizer of the conference
/ LCS rep). If we manage to turn a profit - e.g. through donations,
ticket sales, etc - then that would mean there's still money left in
the earmarked Events fund - but, technically, it's not at that point
the LCS's.

Parallel to this, I create a budgeting request for *next* year for the
LCS's continued existence, at the standard first-year $200, which
should be moreorless rubberstamped. At the end of this semester, any
money left over in earmarked event funds that is from a non-ASUC
source gets dropped (by my sayso) into the LCS' fund - which puts it
at $200 + profits for next year.

Now, if people come in to take over the LCS and keep it alive, that's
that. It's the LCS' money, and proceeds as normal.

If not, then it becomes a sort of ghost organization - and evidently I
still get to control it from a distance (whether at the time or as a
"will" I'm not sure). And, then, I can have the entire amount cut as a
check (it's group funds, to be spent as the group pleases). That check
will go to fund the Second Language Creation Conference, if needed,
wherever it may be. This excludes the $200 part, because that bit
*does* have ASUC strings attached.

It's kinda complicated, but I guess it works. I'll have to confirm
that the money and control flow are in fact as I was just described.
Effectively though, it lets me avoid the $200 cap for this year (thus
getting that $450 sponsorship I have the fi-com's recommendation for),
avoid having to do a workshop, and still spend the money on anything
event-related while (in a somewhat contorted fashion) retaining
control over profits should there be any.

This is all assuming that I *am* decided on as being an "Event" by the
actual senate meeting tomrrow, and they accept the $450 ficom
recommendation. If they decide to allocate me as a *group* - i.e. give
funds directly to the LCS - then it's both simpler in a sense (no
"event" shell game), but also puts me up against that $200
first-year-group cap... which the senate is evidently unlikely to want
to waive.

If I *can* get them to waive that cap, and just rework the bill as a
straight "funds allocated to LCS for purpose of" thing, that'd
probably be simpler...

I guess I'll talk to my senator and see how to play this out. It'll be
decided tomorrow night.

Whee.

- Sai

P.S. It's funny how there's only one or two people in the committee
who actually know Robert's, and the rest just go along with the
motions. They could probably be more effective if they also knew how
to play the system. *shrug* I guess it works, at least...

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