A measure to jointly hear student organization funding proposals from the Student Organization Finance Committee and Campus Council was approved by Duke Student Government at its weekly meeting Wednesday.
SOFC Chair Sam Halls, a junior, said there had been a lack of collaboration in terms of funding specific programs.
"The partnership would ensure that the budgeting process for student groups is streamlined," said senior Sunny Kantha, DSG executive vice president.
Under this new process, SOFC and Campus Council will meet to hear joint proposals, and would then break for separate funding meetings. Halls and Campus Council President Molly Bierman, a senior, represented their groups at the meeting.
DSG members also heard Wednesday from several speakers.
Steve Nowicki, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education, detailed the final version of Duke's Quality Enhancement Plan, themed as "Global Duke: Enhancing Students' Capacity for World Citizenship."
The plan is a part of Duke's reaccreditation process by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
There are three QEP components: an annual winter forum, to bring a large number of undergraduates together to discuss a topic of global interest; a global semester abroad; and a global advising program, which would enable advisers with expertise in international issues to work with students to address world challenges.
"For example, if a student wanted to study global health, he could go to our hospital in Singapore," Nowicki said of the second part of the program.
He added that the program is expected to start in Spring 2011.
Duke has made a five-year commitment to fund and support the programs, which Nowicki said he expects to cost $500,000 annually.
"It's very important to understand that though Duke is under financial stress, and must 'reduce some of the fat', it is very much the case that we don't plan to 'reduce the fat' with undergraduate education programs," he said. "Duke is still moving forward."
Head football coach David Cutcliffe also visited to present his agenda for the Duke football team.
Cutcliffe discussed strengthening players' academic education in addition to their athletic training,
"We are building the best college football program in America," he said. "We're not trying to have a great football team, we're trying to build a great program. And there's a big difference."
In other business:
Mike Lefevre, vice president for athletics and campus services, announced that sales of new guest parking passes began Tuesday. The passes, available for $3 each, will allow guests of students to park their vehicles on campus. Each student is allowed to purchase up to six passes per semester.
DSG also approved the second reading of the group's new election bylaws.
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