Student Union (SU) is encouraging student groups on campus to appeal for more funding after spending from the appeals fund lagged considerably in comparison to previous years.

As of Thursday afternoon, there was about $115,000 available in the appeals fund for Washington University student organizations.

This amount is significantly greater than it has been in past years, which is typically around $30,000, said SU President Neil Patel.

The appeals fund is used to supplement student group’s allocation for the purpose of funding programs that are not originally budgeted for.

The surplus this year comes on the heels of a year in which the treasury ran out of money more than a month before the end of classes.

Last March, the treasury emptied its appeals fund prematurely, preventing student groups from appealing for funds for any end of semester programs.

At the time, many students criticized the process by which treasury spent money from the appeals fund saying that they were too lax in their allocations; this year they have reallocated part of the money set aside for appeals because there has been such low demand.

“The treasurers wanted to see the funding percentage [for category I groups] higher,” said Marius Johnson, SU treasurer. “Because they could safely do it, they moved $15,000 so the funding percentage would be higher.”

The student activities fee, which is set at one percent of the annual tuition paid by each student, determines the SU budget; because tuition rates are rising faster than inflation, the budget is larger this year.

Also, a new rule restricts the groups that can receive money from the SU Treasury. Funding for class councils, school councils and executive committees-and specifically the appeals for those big ticket items-is now the responsibility of the executive branch.

“You can see the effect,” said SU Speaker of the Treasury John Ablan. “More money overall and a decrease in the number of entities able to make funding requests is bound to lead to the remaining groups having greater access to those funds.”

This change comes as a result of a decision handed down last year by the judiciary branch.

Based on this year’s surplus, Patel encourages student groups to make the case for additional funding if they are unhappy with the initial budgeting process.

“We have no use for this money,” said Patel.

Many student groups are finding the initial SU budget allocation to be sufficient, and are therefore making fewer appeals for additional funding.

“This was a very good year for allocation,” said Tatyana Taranukha, co-president of the Russian Club.

Taranukha says the Russian Club may request additional funding later in the spring, but the club is content with the money currently remaining from its initial allocation.

Student Union executives stress that now is a great opportunity for student groups to receive SU funding to add more activities to their existing schedules, as well as for students to establish new clubs for the University community.

To further that goal, the treasury recently reallocated more than $15,000 from the appeals fund to the category I allocations fund allowing category I groups to receive more money in the first round of allocations that will occur over break.

Consequently, category I groups will need to do less fundraising for their programs next semester.

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