While the Student Activities Commission is still ironing out the details of its new policies, student leaders praised the changes implemented so far this semester.

The new allocation system, which was adopted in October, requires student organizations to submit semester budgets, which allow them to internally allocate funds. Groups previously submitted programming arcs that proposed events requiring designated amounts of money.

Groups submit event proposals online and are only required to meet with the SAC commissioners if an event involves a significant risk factor.

“The system is a big improvement from … where SAC came from,” SAC Vicechair Eric Neidle (COL ’14) said. “It’s still new, so we’re still ironing out a lot of kinks and small details and starting to look at minor changes to make to the system this semester.”

Student leaders agree that more, smaller reforms could be made to the budgeting system.

“I hope [SAC continues] to support and encourage the organizations and streamline its processes,” Georgetown University Grilling Society President Chris Griffin (MSB ’13) wrote in an email.

According to Neidle, unplanned funding for events not included on clubs’ original budgets has been both the most popular yet most challenging aspect of SAC reform.

“One thing that was not anticipated and that we need to make sure the system better accommodates in the future is the number of ad hoc events, which is straining the money allocated to the ad hoc budget and making [SAC] meetings longer than expected,” Neidle said.

President of the College Democrats Joe Vandegriff (COL ’14) said that the new system has been beneficial in the adaptability it allows.

“It’s very hard to transition executive boards between semesters, and ad hoc provides flexibility for events that come up,” he said.

The College Democrats have used the ad hoc system for funding multiple events, including open houses and a club dinner at Ben’s Chili Bowl.

“[The new system] definitely makes you better as a club leader at planning events,” Vandegriff said. “In the end, it will be a good thing that clubs will use funds honestly and reduce waste.”