ASMSU's Student Assembly voted to increase Funding Board's budget by $10,000, echoing a similar move made in February when the same amount was given to Programming Board.

"This really is one of the ways our constituents know we exist," said Patty Smith, College of Arts & Letters representative.

Funding Board allocates up to $3,000 to registered student organizations. MSU's undergraduate student government gives the board at least 10 percent of its annual budget. Programming board sponsors cultural and campus events.

MSU's Mock Trial team came to Funding Board last month to help fund its recent trip to the national competition.

"We fund a lot of things just right out of our pockets," said James Madison freshman Evan Fowler-Guzzardo. "The funding was nice because for one trip we could really compete and do our best without having to worry about the money."

Funding Board Comptroller Lisa Papaghanian said the bill would help fund some of the groups that applied for money but whose applications haven't been processed.

ASMSU Comptroller Mike Trudeau said Funding Board has done a great job in allocating money, but said both Funding Board and Programming Board need to be more discriminating in how they use the money throughout the year so they won't run out.

Debate on the bill was relatively short compared to discussion on Programming Board. The bill originally asked for $15,000, but was cut to $10,000.

"I have the same stance on both issues," Trudeau said. "You already did it once, you've got to do it again."

Trudeau added that there were no plans to increase funding to the boards in the new budget, which should be approved early next month.

For more information, visit http://asmsu.msu.edu.