Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) voted unanimously on Wednesday, Feb. 19 in favor of creating sustainable funding for the Division of Research and Graduate Studies’ Undergraduate Research Grant. 

Mandeep Kaur, ASI’s Senator for the College of Science and Mathematics, said consistent funds have been lacking for undergraduate research.

In the last year, Fresno State’s research rank has dropped from 257 to 299, according to Washington Monthly its research ranking is determined by the amount of money an institution is spending on research.

“For the past few years, the funds have basically been zero,” Kaur said. “That is until [ASI senators] go and ask institutions to pitch in money.”

Kaur said senators should not have to go and ask for funding on undergraduate research when it is something so important to students who pursue a masters or doctorate.

“There should be a way that the university automatically allocates funding for undergraduate research,” Kaur said.

With sustainable funding, neither Kaur nor any other senator will have to ask for donations. Undergraduate research will already have a set amount of funds once it collaborates with a university department.

The Division of Undergraduates Studies previously funded the undergraduate research. However, this semester it has no longer had the budget to continue funding it.

Kaur is currently planning the next steps to create sustainable funding.

“Our goal is to have a collaboration between ASI and some entity within Academic Affairs,” Kaur said.