Ithaca College student organizations lost almost $70,000 last spring when funds unspent at the end of the academic year were returned to the college budget.

Funding provided by the college through the Student Government Association must be spent during the course of the June-May fiscal year or be returned to the college at the end of May, according to junior Brian Keefe, vice president of business and finance for SGA. Funds raised during the course of the year, however, can be rolled over into the following year’s budget. Funds rolled over from the previous year go to the college if unspent 12 months after the money was raised.

“This is a fundamental policy built within the account system,” Keefe said. “Ithaca College automatically withdraws these outstanding funds once their time span has passed.”

SGA allocated $405,000 to student organizations last year, Keefe said. A total of $110,748.85 remained in student organizations’ budgets at the close of the fiscal year last May, of which $41,141.34 from fundraising was rolled over and returned to organizations this fall, according to Russell Martin, assistant director in the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs. The remaining $69,607.51 went to the college. The college is not allowed to have funds remaining in student organizations’ accounts after a full year because it is a nonprofit institution.

Fifty-five student organizations rolled over funds into this academic year. Habitat for Humanity, Ithacappella, IC Triple Threat Theatre, Colleges Against Cancer and Beta Alpha Psi accounted for $18,783.69 of the funds.

Sally Dietz, director of the Office of the Budget, said the funds student organizations raise each year are not expended until the rolled over funds from the previous year have been exhausted.

“If funds remain unspent through the second year, they generally become part of the overall ‘bottom line,’ which is used to fund overall campus business,” Dietz said.

Sophomore Dan Weller, treasurer of the Environmental Society, said he finds the college budget process complicated.

“By changing the forms from year to year, it makes it much more difficult for treasurers to submit their budget proposals [for SGA],” he said.

Keefe said when he became the vice president, the budget process was inconsistent. He said the forms have been refined to be more standardized.

The president and treasurer of each organization planning to participate in the spring budget process must attend one of two leadership sessions at 12:15 p.m. today or 7 p.m. Monday in Williams Room 225.

“We’ve had a few hiccups in the transition, but we’re trying to offer more information and resources to students,” he said. “By next semester, everyone should be well-adapted to the new system.”