The Kansas University student body president for 2016-2017 is Gardner senior Stephonn Alcorn, left, and the vice president is Providence, R.I., senior Gabby Naylor, right.

Last year, a group of minority and underrepresented students trying to establish their own separate “multicultural student government” at the University of Kansas cited unfairness in the current Student Senate election process as one reason such a body was needed. Among other things, they complained that the election spending limit was too expensive for all to afford.

There isn’t going to be a separate multicultural student government. But there is now something to help students secure more money to campaign for election to the existing Student Senate, starting in the spring: KU Endowment’s Equitable Student Elections Fund.

Senate leaders worked with KU Endowment over summer break to recruit donors and set up the fund, Student Body President Stephonn Alcorn said.

Money, administered through KU’s Office of Student Affairs, will help student coalitions meet the Senate’s current $1,000 campaign spending limit, according to a Senate news release summarizing the fund. Coalitions can receive up to $700, though they must raise at least $300 on their own first. Funding amounts will be based on the coalition’s percentage of candidates slated for the election.

“The purpose of this fund is to eliminate inherent monetary disadvantages and inequities in the Student Senate elections process,” according to the release. “This will allow for the broader participation of all students in student government, especially the voices of those most underrepresented.”

For context, Alcorn pointed out that up until a few years ago there was no cap on election spending and some coalitions spent $10,000 or even more. But, he said, $1,000 is still a lot of money.

“That number kind of still serves as a barrier,” he said. “It should really be about a student’s leadership experience and their ideas.”

How much money have donors ponied up for this cause? I asked, but KU Endowment representatives and Senate leaders declined to share the amount raised. Senate communications director Connor Birzer said, “We want to keep the integrity of the donors and students who will benefit from the fund.”

Alcorn said he was pleased with pledges so far and optimistic the effort will be a success.

The Kansas University student body president for 2016-2017 is Gardner senior Stephonn Alcorn, left, and the vice president is Providence, R.I., senior Gabby Naylor, right.

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• I’m the Journal-World’s KU and higher ed reporter. See all the newspaper’s KU coverage here. Reach me by email at sshepherd@ljworld.com, by phone at 832-7187, on Twitter @saramarieshep or via Facebook at Facebook.com/SaraShepherdNews.