The University Park Allocation Committee (UPAC) is no longer accepting funding requests for 2003 fall programming.

UPAC chair Nicole Sandretto said the committee made the decision to ensure even distribution of funds throughout the academic year.

The UPAC committee began the year with about $2 million, but Sandretto said it is hard to determine exactly how much is left in the committee's budget now.

John Krohn, a director for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, said UPAC's decision will not affect the program because they already applied for funding and are expecting to receive $13,000 to $14,000, mostly for guest speaker expenses. Last year's speaker was civil rights activist Diane Nash.

"It's not going to hinder our program, but if we did have more money, maybe [we could have had] more service to go throughout the day, food, entertainers and a better large-name speaker," Krohn said.

Krohn said he's not "drastically worried" about receiving funding in the future because UPAC has been the program's main source of funds in the past.

A large portion of UPAC's funds are allocated to ongoing programs, such as operational budgets and subsidies for university activities like LateNight Penn State, childcare for students, fitness passes and the Distinguished Speaker Series.

The remaining funds are divided between fall and spring semesters.

Last year, UPAC exhausted its $1.8 million budget in late January; the previous year, $2.1 million lasted until early March. This year's change will hopefully enable the group to continue allocating until at least February, Sandretto said.

"In general, if we make it until the end of February, it's a situation that's very much the same," she said. "Programming will still last until the end of school and everyone has more or less had an opportunity to turn in requests within our deadlines."

The main source of UPAC's funds is the $45 University Park student activity fee charged to each student's semester bill. The rest of the committee's money comes from general university funds.

The Oct. 28 cut-off date seems early, but it is reasonable, Sandretto said. Depending on a program's size, the deadline for submitting applications can be as much as 40 days before the event.

"Realistically, Nov. 12 is the last possible day to accept a budget turned in for the very last day of classes," she said.

Because most groups are aware of the deadlines and have already requested money, many of them won't be affected.

Greg Vaserstein, advisor for the Chess Club, said the club benefited from applying early.

Sandretto said applications already submitted would still be considered, so programming can continue through December.

Brian Nary, treasurer of Model United Nations, said the group wasn't able to receive money they requested because they didn't meet the UPAC deadline, but added he realizes UPAC money is mostly given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Some organizations like Phroth, an on-campus humor publication, do not depend solely on UPAC funds. Richard Skarbez, the publication's president, said the group would turn to other sources of funds since it cannot rely on UPAC.

Sandretto suggested groups turn to university departments, local and out-of-town businesses as additional sources. Student groups can also request funding from the Undergraduate Student Government Senate, although Sandretto said it was not a source she recommended to them.

Sandretto encouraged organizations planning to request money for spring programs can and should do so as soon as possible.