The Apportionment Board has decided Student Government will have to wait for funding for new computers.

Student Government’s request, presented by Levi Bulgar, student executive vice president, was for $17,000 to replace 16 computers in the student activities office.

AB voted to table the proposal until the Feb. 21 meeting and asked Bulgar to return with quotes from other computer companies.

The quote presented to AB was from Dell, and Bulgar said he was able to save money by requesting Windows XP instead of Vista.

Several AB members agreed with that choice, but felt $1,000 per computer was too expensive.

Eric Wilber said the computer features and capabilities were too much for Student Government’s Internet browsing and word processing needs. He wants Bulgar to bring quotes for more basic computers to the next AB meeting.

Computers in the office crashed numerous times last year, viruses were detected several times and many computers currently have USB complications, Bulgar said.

He said he was concerned by AB’s decision to wait on new computers because of shipping and instillation schedules.

Not all of Student Government’s funding requests were tabled.

AB voted 5-3 in favor of Student Government’s additional request of $2,630 for a student teacher interaction program.

If passed by the Student Senate on Thursday, the March 18 event would allow 75 students to invite one professor each to a murder mystery dinner in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The possibility of Student Government impeding on University Board duties was again discussed.

AB member Travis Bounds said the financial request is not as large as the Winter Wonderland request, but he still feels $2,630 was a lot of money for a murder mystery event.

AB members were also concerned about getting the full 150 guests to attend the event when past events such as bowling and take a teacher to a basketball game only resulted in about five faculty attending each event.

Alison Kostelich, student vice president for academic affairs, and Student Body President Cole Rogers presented the proposal to AB.

Kostelich said an RSVP reply from the invited faculty member will solidify a seat at the free event, but if seats are unfilled the contracted companies will be contacted and services will be reduced.

“Dave (Keyes) did a lot of research that showed when students have interactions with teachers they get better grades, understand tests better and are more prepared when they leave the class,” Rogers said.

Champaign Urbana Theatre Company would be hired at a cost of $990 to perform the murder mystery in which students and faculty would have an actor at their table to interrogate about the murder. Panther Catering would cost $1,832 for the students, faculty and actors to have a buffet dinner.

AB member Ashley Nolan said she was concerned about the amount of money being spent for 150 people when the same price could get a lecturer or comedian and entertain more students.

Faculty representative Mike Mulvaney said he supports the program’s intention, but he does not think 75 faculty members, or roughly 10 percent of all faculty, would volunteer to stay until 7 p.m. for the event.

AB member Wilber said he was concerned about paying $41 per person to host an event. He continued to say the idea is good, but he feels most students would invite professors they already know and the event would not meet the intended purpose.

Kostelich and Rogers presented to the senate on Wednesday.

Last week’s AB meeting was canceled because of bad weather and Kostelich said in order to keep contractual requests on time she needs the senate’s approval by next week. The proposal will be designated as emergency legislation, but Student Senate members now have one week to review the information.

Nolan, Bounds and Wilber voted against the proposal.

Rick Kambic can be reached at 581-7942 or at