The Apportionment Board approved to cut $12,042 from both the University Board and student government’s proposed budgets at Thursday’s meeting.

The current budget for the 2011-2012 school year is $540,000, The total proposed increases amount to $24,084.

The AB was given a proposal for an 18 percent increase from student government, a 6 percent increase from the AB, a 4 percent increase from the UB and a zero percent increase for the Student Recreation Center.

Mark Kattenbraker, an assistant kinesiology and sports studies professor, said he did not support the large increase in the student government budget.

“I have a hard time believing a double-digit increase is necessary,” he said. “We have a bare-bones budget for what we want, but not what we need. Between student government and UB, someone’s going to have to bite the bullet. It’s the only place (the cuts) can come from.”

Olivia Brauer, a senior music education major, favored allotting more funds for the UB.

“The University Board has a lot more students using their functions opposed to student government,” she said.

Kelsey Warren, a junior marketing major, said the board should take the considerations of all students into consideration when deciding to allocate the budget.

“It’s important to think about the whole university when making budget decisions,” she said.

The final vote was 8-1-1. Both student government and the UB will bring their revised line items to next week’s meeting for reconsideration.

Zach Samples, Roberto Luna and Alex Boyd, all Student Senate members, presented information on their experience at the Feb. 26 through March 1 Conference of Student Government Association, at the meeting.

They said they saw ideas that they hope to implement on Eastern’s campus, such as compost containers for food, a bike sharing program and free ride transportation for students operated by students.

Roberto said the representatives would soon be meeting with President Perry to present the advantages of all ideas.

Sara Hall can be reached at 581-2812 or smhall3@eiu.edu.