Am I being a jerk?

[Dr.Epic]

So basically I run this club at my school. I decided since I love Munchkin so much and based on the people in the club, we should have a Munchkin night. Unfortunately I don't own any of the games, so I went out and bought five (hey, I need to make sure there's enough groups to play the game).

Anyway, buying five different games of Munchkin each at $25 puts a huge dent in one's wallet, I check with the other officers if it was cool if I take the money I spent out of the treasury. They were cool with it as we don't really spend that much money and we're going to play Munchkin a lot (I basically bring it to every meeting in case there are some people still hanging around and want to do something). So I give the treasurer the receipts and they say they're go to student activities and get me my money. That was two weeks ago.

I mean I've asked about the budget and they say they're take care of it, but I'm starting to get impatient. $150 is a lot. I haven't brought it up that much with them. Yesterday I asked once at lunch and again that evening at the meeting and they said they'll talk to student activities. I haven't seen them today. I'm just wondering if I should be more aggressive in asking. I know they have their own things to do, but, not to sound selfish, I do kind of need/want that cash and the other officers did say it was cool I could be reimbursed. I'm just wondering what's the best way to go about making sure they get it done without coming off as a jerk.

[Serpentine]

Get a timeframe from them. Ask them, "how long should it take for me to get this money?", and keep pushing for that until you get it. Once you have an approximate time, wait for that to run out before asking again.

[Drynwyn]

I feel your pain. I started a club at my school, and the administration seemed painfully innefecient at times. However, what you need to do is pinpoint the problem and deal with it yourself- if student activities is jangling it now, wait a week or two and take it up with them.
note that I don't think you're being a jerk. I do think, however, you aren't using the best method to solve the problem.

[DeadManSleeping]

Yes!

Okay, now I'll read the post :smalltongue:

In all seriousness, you're almost doing too little. The student organization I'm in has a leadership that is half ridiculously-on-task people and half total flakes. Trust me, with the flakes, you've got to ride them so hard they use the safe-word. It's a substantial amount of money, and it's not even coming out of their pockets to get it back to you!

All said, though, don't accuse them of doing anything. Plead them for your lost money all you like, but don't call it a fault of theirs, even if it is, because that's when people start to bristle, even if they deserve the accusation.

[CynicalAvocado]

what is munchkin?

[DeadManSleeping]

what is munchkin?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhjRUKCKIG4

Also: http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/game/

[valadil]

Getting money from bureaucracy always takes time. At my last job it took 3 months to get back money I had to front to go to a training session in Maryland. That was over two grand.

It's a little jerkish to push the officers in your club. They probably have very little ability to get you your money. But it's an understandable reason to be jerkish and you may not get it back without being a jerk. However, I feel like if you couldn't afford to front the money you should have done the paperwork before buying the Munchkin

[Dr.Epic]

what is munchkin?

One of the greatest card games ever!

[Jack Squat]

Getting money from bureaucracy always takes time. At my last job it took 3 months to get back money I had to front to go to a training session in Maryland. That was over two grand.

It's a little jerkish to push the officers in your club. They probably have very little ability to get you your money. But it's an understandable reason to be jerkish and you may not get it back without being a jerk. However, I feel like if you couldn't afford to front the money you should have done the paperwork before buying the Munchkin

It depends, it's alright to be a little pushy with the officers - specifically the treasurer - if they've put off submitting for the reimbursement. Whoever turned in the reimbursement form is also probably the best person to go in and ask the administration for a time frame if they weren't given one already - that's why I generally tell the person who's due the reimbursement to go ahead and turn in their receipts themselves. Well that and so the check will be written in their name instead of mine.

Also, at least for the club I'm in that has to go through the reimbursement process (the other one keeps our cash in a pasta sauce jar) you can only apply for reimbursement after the fact. They won't process anything without the receipts, and it normally takes 2-3 weeks for them to get around to cutting the check.

[Dr.Epic]

So you guys don't think it'd be too demanding to start contacting her on Facebook and start asking for the money (I don't want to come off like as a bookie or mobster asking "Where's my money or I brake your legs?").

[Borgh]

So you guys don't think it'd be too demanding to start contacting her on Facebook and start asking for the money (I don't want to come off like as a bookie or mobster asking "Where's my money or I brake your legs?").

I've found that most student beraucracies break down quite fast if you make it personal.

Find out who the form is waitiing for. Go find the people who run this particular stretch or red tape, and break their legs. Or talk to them, I always forget. Be friendly but insistent. Then as soon as this stretch of river is taken, keep bugging people untill you have your money.

Then again, my uni is small so this might not work best if you have a big school.

[snoopy13a]

It's a little jerkish to push the officers in your club. They probably have very little ability to get you your money. But it's an understandable reason to be jerkish and you may not get it back without being a jerk. However, I feel like if you couldn't afford to front the money you should have done the paperwork before buying the Munchkin

Actually, it seemed to me that the problem is that the student treasurer hasn't gone to the SA money person and asked for the funds yet.

To the OP: No, you are not being a jerk. It is your treasurer's entire job in the organization to handle requests such as this. If they weren't willing to do so, then they shouldn't have ran.

In the future, I'd advise getting formal approval that is signed by all of your officers before spending your own funds. I doubt that there will be a problem here as I think your treasurer is just being lazy and will get the money to remiburse you. However, without signed formal approval, the other officers could, in theory, claim that you spent money on your own and the club doesn't have to reimburse you.

[Dr.Epic]

Actually, it seemed to me that the problem is that the student treasurer hasn't gone to the SA money person and asked for the funds yet.

Yeap, that's the problem. Sorry if there was any confusion about what I was trying to say.

[Serpentine]

So you guys don't think it'd be too demanding to start contacting her on Facebook and start asking for the money (I don't want to come off like as a bookie or mobster asking "Where's my money or I brake your legs?").Don't do that. Just seek her out next time you can and say "When should I expect the reimbursement to go through?" If she evades the question, say "I really need to know when I'll be getting it. I need to have an idea of my finances." Keep pushing until you either get an approximate date, or until she says she'll find out. If she does the latter, keep asking any time enough time's gone by for you to reasonably expect her to have found out. When you're given an approximate date, don't mention it again until the date passes.

[Dr.Epic]

Don't do that. Just seek her out next time you can and say "When should I expect the reimbursement to go through?" If she evades the question, say "I really need to know when I'll be getting it. I need to have an idea of my finances." Keep pushing until you either get an approximate date, or until she says she'll find out. If she does the latter, keep asking any time enough time's gone by for you to reasonably expect her to have found out. When you're given an approximate date, don't mention it again until the date passes.

I'll still probably shoot her a quick word on Facebook. I haven't seen them in a few days and last time we spoke they said that the next day she'd talk to SA. Besides, there is another issue about how we are in the red when we shouldn't be and she has to talk to them about that too. So, really I'm talking to them about two issues that need to be resolved soon.

[grimbold]

imo you need to be a bit bolder and make it clear that you have an issue, they are being jerks iirc