The Student Government Appropriations Committee will hold a third information session on Monday for those student organizations that would like help filling out their appropriation application.

Kelli Rogers, the chair of the committee, said Student Government has $46,000.00 to give to groups, which is an increase in available funds, compared to last semester.

“It’s rare to see an increase. Usually we give out more money in the fall semesters,” Rogers, a junior in political science, said.

Appropriations is Student Government’s most important role, according to Rogers.

“We take money from student fees and give it back out,” she said.

Rogers said last semester applicants asked for more money than there was to give.

“We recieved requests for about $120,000 last semester,” she said.

According to Rogers, Student Government has limits on what it can give out.

“We can only match what the group is able to raise up to $2,000, and help pay for one third of the cost of trips, and one half the amount for events on campus,” she said.

Having a lack of applications at this time in the process is normal, according to Rogers, but she said she is trying to discourage that behavior.

“We recieve 100-200 on the very last day,” she said. “When people file at the last minute, they make mistakes, and therefore, don’t recieve funds,”

Elizabeth Davis, a junior in accounting, filed her application for funding early in the process.

“I got an e-mail thanking me for getting it done early. It really helps them,” she said.

Rogers said the problems with last semester’s appropriations process have been fixed.

“We got a new system last year, and everything had to be inputed,” Rogers said.

The new system was put in place to make it easier for the business office to get checks out to the groups, Rogers said.

Courtney Parnell, a member of the appropriations committee and a senior in biological sciences, said last year a group actually sat in on the meeting while student government made funding decisions.

“A lot of decisions are made on the final night, and it’s easier to make descisions about cutting funding when the group is there so as to make them feel better about it,” Rogers said.

Parnell said the interview process will go smoother this semester.

“The interviews this year will be more spaced out to be easier for everyone,” she said.

Parnell said she doesn’t think all groups will apply for funding, despite the increase in funds available.

“Some don’t know about it, but it is their money. If they don’t know about it, they can’t get it,” she said.

But if a group wants or needs funding, Davis said the application is easy to fill out.

“It was very detailed, but filling it out isn’t too bad, [Kelli Rogers] has been very helpful,” she said.