Intramural Sports, Adventure Recreation, the Center for Student Engagement and the Student Affairs Diversity Coalition appeared before the Funding Allocation Board (FAB) last night, requesting $469,069.

The Center for Student Engagement requested the most -- $240,580. The center sponsors Homecoming, for which it requested $79,046, Welcome Week and Fresh Start.

Tom Lovins, director of Recreational Sports, announced a $10,000 increase over last year's request for IM Sports, bringing the total to $85,350. He said the increase was needed to keep student referees' pay rates on par with the university's standard. Adventure Recreation, which provides students with free hiking, canoeing and other outdoor trips, requested $67,509.

The SA Diversity Coalition, consisting of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, the Center for Women Students and the LGBTA Student Resource Center, requested a combined $75,600. Officials said the funds were necessary to maintain and expand existing cultural events and programming. "Many of the programs are two to three times bigger than the entire budget of our centers," Paul Robeson Cultural Center Director Toby Jenkins said.

FAB documents indicated that although requests for SAF funds total nearly $4 million, the board will only be able to supply two-thirds of it. FAB will begin deliberations after tomorrow's final request hearing.