Any college student would enjoy a shorter lecture more specific to his or her interests — especially when the topic is Associated Student Government guidelines and funding procedures.

At the Leadership Advisory Board (LAB) meetings Tuesday and Thursday, student group leaders learned about the right way to ask for funding and maintain their group’s status. This year’s LAB topics tailored more to individual groups’ needs and lasted one hour instead of three.

“It was a lot more efficient,” said Mayfest co-Coordinator Matt Harsh, who has attended two other years of LABs. “They just seemed to be more organized.”

Revamping LABs was a key component of ASG Executive Vice President Jordan Heinz’s platform on which Northwestern students elected him.

In past years, all A- and B-status student group presidents and treasurers were required to attend the same meeting.

But Heinz said this structure frustrated student group leaders and was not effective because the program was too long and students had to listen to topics that did not apply to their group.

For example, while theater groups need information on ticket revenues, community service organizations may need instruction on how to rent NU vans for group trips.

This year, meetings were separated by A- and B-status groups and by genre.

During the LAB, Heinz explained what ASG can do for students, such as how to reserve a room in Norris. Campus Activities Office staff members discussed how students can write contracts and use the Norris Box Office, and Financial Vice President Ramesh Srinivasan summarized funding guidelines.

“Remember that everything is negotiable,” said Paul Wolansky, Campus Activities Office director. Wolansky said the office can help student groups reduce contract fees by as much as 50 percent.

During spring funding this year, many student leaders said the funding process was confusing, especially for those unfamiliar with ASG. Women’s Coalition Sen. Jessica MacDonald proposed a bill at Wednesday’s Senate meeting to distribute an informational packet on Student Activities Finance Board guidelines, which Srinivasan reviews during each LAB.

“I doubt that more than two or three people understand the SAFB guidelines,” said Heinz, an Education sophomore. “If (the guidelines) were explained in a way that just applied to your group, they’d make a lot more sense.”

Alianza President Lilly Gonzalez said the LAB was very informative and that the information will be useful to other Alianza executive board members who did not attend the LAB. Gonzalez, a Medill sophomore, said she liked learning about the little things she didn’t know, such as using a table in the Norris dining area to promote an event.

But Harsh said because he has attended LABs before, a lot of the material covered was repetitive. He said a student group leader should not have to attend more than one session.

“Once you know it, it’s kind of silly that they make you go twice,” said Harsh, a McCormick senior.

Heinz said he hopes the changes to LABs will be a first step toward improving the relationship between ASG and student groups and making students more aware of what ASG has to offer.

Because ASG works with all student groups, ASG can foresee problems, such as scheduling conflicts. Heinz said ASG also can help stabilize an organization with frequent executive board turnovers.

“We’re a great resource, but until we’re seen as a resource, nobody will take advantage of us,” Heinz said.

Most students who attended LABs said organizers made the accessibility of ASG and the Campus Activities Office very clear.

Panhellenic Association President Sarah Personette said the availability of the presenters and their willingness to work with group leaders impressed her.

“That’s what I needed to hear, more than hearing about policies,” said Personette, a Weinberg junior.