Managing Group Accounts
Description of SAFO

The Student Activities Finance Office (a component of the Student Activities Office) assists and advises MIT student organizations with all financial matters. The Student Activities Finance Office (SAFO) is committed to providing centralized services for student organizations in accessing their internal accounts, providing quality customer service in a responsive way, providing resources and information to students and student organizations about Institute policies and procedures, and collaborating with students to meet the changing needs of the MIT community. Many of the services that SAFO provides are highlighted in the Money Matters section.

The Student Activities Finance Office (SAFO) is open 9am - 5:30pm, Monday - Friday. All paperwork may be dropped off after hours, using the door mail slot. To speak with someone directly about funding and financial questions, go to Room W20-549 on the 5th floor of the Student Center, call 253-2091, or contact funds@mit.edu.

Philosophy regarding use of funds

Student organizations exist and have the ability to fund raise and solicit donations because they are a fundamental part of the programmatic aspect and educational mission of the Institute as a whole. Student organizations that are recognized by MIT are given the autonomy and responsibility to spend their funds as the organization sees fit (providing they do not break Institute policy, State, or Federal law.) As such, all expense vouchers will be processed providing the forms are filled out correctly with the proper signatures and documentation attached. The expectation is that student organization members will adhere to good business practices and act responsibly as stewards of MIT. The Treasurer and Financial Signatories of any student organization have a responsibility to the group to manage the accounts ethically and to use the funds as the organization sees fit. All funds and organization records/receipts are held within a secured area in the Student Activities Finance Office (SAFO). In addition to SAFO, only the Financial Signatories listed by the student organization have access to any account information or records.

Assessment Guarantee

The Student Activities Office's mission is to serve students and student organizations and is, as such, always open to feedback and suggestions for improvement. We will actively solicit such feedback by way of a survey to organization leaders. In addition we will meet with student government leaders on an annual basis specifically to discuss any improvement ideas they have for our office and its services.

The Student Activities Office (SAO), the Undergraduate Association (UA), the Graduate Student Council (GSC), the Association of Student Activities (ASA), and DormCon worked collaboratively on this document. The student governments, working with SAO staff, will continue to revise this document and the services offered by SAFO will be reviewed on an annual basis by the student groups, student governments, and SAO staff.