Clubs will also be contributing funds to Union reserves to save up for future equipment purchases. The auto shop is looking for a new lift, a new dimmer system is planned for the Playhouse, and UPAC Cinema is saving for a DTS sound system.

Clubs aren’t the only things that impacted the budget recommendation.

The bookstore’s new textbook pricing program decreased the amount of income for the Union, adding to the increase in the activity fee.

However, Director of the Union Rick Hartt believes this program is favorable for students overall.

“It has probably benefited students over $250,000,” Hartt said. The average savings per student greatly outweighed the activity fee increase. “Through some good budgeting and through strong fiscal oversight the fee hasn’t gone up dramatically.”

“Intercollegiate athletics was another impact this year,” said President of the Union Ariana Twitchell.

Changes in UCAA and ECAC expenses have impacted the budgets of club and varsity sports across the board. Conference dues and referee costs went up.

Next year’s schedules are also heavy in away games, resulting in increased travel expenses. The following year will make up the difference in home games and expenses will see a decrease.

“It didn’t really come down to … enhancing the quality of some of the day-to-day operations,” Twitchell said. “That was kind of unfortunate.”

Not all the changes resulted in increases, however. “There were probably as many increases as decreases,” Hartt said.

The gift presented at the Big Red Freakout this year was larger than normal because of the 25th anniversary celebration. The gift returned to a normal size in the new budget.

The Aquarium Club, which was started this year, was budgeted $15 ,000 in startup costs. With the aquarium up and running in the Union the club’s requirements decreased to $1,500.

The budgeting process began earlier this year than in past years. Club budgets were due before winter break, rather than in the weeks after.

“The accelerated process was really demanding, I think, for both clubs and for the Executive Board,” Twitchell said. “Everyone just sort of dug in their heels and did it.”

“I think it was good for clubs to get the budgets in early,” said Christopher Lacey, Senate/E-Board liaison. “It gives club reps more time to contact their clubs and find more about the clubs, and work with them through the budget process.”

In addition to his budgeting responsibilities, Lacey also worked on the reorganization of the recommendation document that was presented to the Senate.

Details about the budget itself are presented earlier in the document, with supporting information about the budgeting process described in the following pages.

“It’s a lot more readable. You can actually sit down and read it and understand it,” Lacey said.

In addition to the redesign, the members of the E-Board contacted senators once the document was available in order to clarify any questions before Tuesday’s meeting.

“Anything that would have been a hang-up was just more a question of not understanding why,” Lacey said, “and that’s what we got out of the way initially.”

The effort paid off, as the Senate accepted the recommendation with little trouble.

“I think [the E-Board] did a very good job,” Twitchell said. “They were very, very dedicated.”

Hartt said he believes that most students don’t know how much is made possible through their activity fee. Even students that participate in the clubs, activities, and sports that are funded by the Union probably don’t know what they’re paying for.

“If they did,” he said, “they might be more impressed with what occurs.”