The Apportionment Board approved the $13,235 request Thursday made by University Board Special Events committee.

AB decided last week to table UB’s request because of the possibility for depleted funds after they approved student government’s $4,519, leaving them with $27,123.

“You guys gave student government $3,000 dollars to go to a conference. That was three people to go to a conference,” said Otis Seawood, the chair of special events. “What I’m asking for is $13,000, but I’m not maximizing on three people. I’m maximizing on as many people as that covers.”

Student Body President Michelle Murphy said the depletion of AB’s reserve was not something they needed to concern themselves with.

“The whole reason we have this money is because the student fee replenishes itself,” said Murphy, a senior rhetoric and public advocacy major. “As things get more expensive, those fees increase.”

Murphy said there would never be an emergency where we would need to dip in to student fees.

“It’s a great way to spend money especially because it gives people an alternative to do something on campus,” Murphy said. “It brings a lot of diverse people on campus.”

Katie Bosch, a senior accounting major and a member of AB, was not in favor of allocating UB $13,235 and said they should have budgeted for the whole school year, not just one semester.

Bosch said the biggest issue was that there was a $39,000 budget that was spent in one semester.

“When we first came, all of the UB’s budget was cut. Otis was told that they could only be given the first half of the budget and then he would have to make a petition for the rest later,” Murphy said.

Ed Hart, a member of AB, said other groups coming to AB requesting money would most likely not be an issue because the deadline for additional allocation is Feb. 1, and AB is a first come, first serve committee.

“If we give them the $8,000 then it would be a waste of students’ money,” said Chris Arnholz, junior finance major and a member of AB.

During last week’s meeting, Seawood was told, while he put on good events, that maybe students should focus more on education.

“I’m here to fight for students to have a good time,” Seawood said. “In life, everything has a lesson. It might not be a lesson where you sit in a desk, but it still teaches a lesson.”

Seawood’s next step is to petition student government for his spring 2011 budget.

Nike Ogunbodede can be reached at 581-2812 or ovogunbodede@eiu.edu