Tonight’s Associated Student Government meeting will begin an hour early to accommodate appeals from student group leaders dissatisfied with fall funding recommendations made by the Student Activities Finance Board last week.

“(Senators) should keep in mind that they are allocating the funds of all students,” said ASG Financial Vice President Erica Williamson, who oversees the board.

Williamson, a McCormick senior, presented the board’s initial recommendations for dividing a pool of about $190,000 between 23 student groups at last week’s ASG meeting.

Money for that pool comes from revenue from student-group-sponsored events, rollover money not used by groups and the Student Activities Fee — a $120 annual fee paid by almost all undergraduate students.

Tonight senators will work with an amendment pool of almost $10,000. Senators will vote to cut or augment groups’ recommended funding using money from this pool.

Groups receive most of their funding during Spring Quarter, but fall supplemental funding is designed to enhance budgets and gives priority to capital improvements, such as the purchase of computer equipment.

Reactions to last Wednesday’s recommendations have been mixed, with some groups satisfied and others planning to appeal.

Northwestern Community Ensemble, a gospel choir group, was not recommended to receive any of their requested $8,000 for an annual winter concert. The group was found guilty of financial misconduct Spring Quarter, after it improperly distributed 500 tickets to the public for a concert funded by the Student Activities Fee.

Organizers plan to appeal the recommendation tonight, said NCE President Tiffany Beard. She said her group will focus on conveying its strengths when appealing to the Senate.

“We’ve done stellar programming and we want to be able to continue to do that,” said Beard, a Communication senior.

Beard said NCE is trying to move on from the financial infraction from the spring.

“We learned from those mistakes,” she said, “and we’re trying to use that as a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block.”

The Dolphin Show, NU’s largest student-run musical, also received a recommendation for no extra funds. The group had requested almost $7,000 for purchases, such as computer programs and video equipment.

Williamson said SAFB did not recommend funding for the Dolphin Show because the group retains all ticket-sale revenue from its main events, which are not SAF-funded. Groups that receive SAF funding for their main events are required to return part of their revenue to the funding board.

“You’re not supposed to make a profit off the Student Activities Fee,” Williamson said.

But Dolphin Show Business Producer Dana Oppenheim said ticket revenue is insufficient for production costs.

“Even if we sold out, there’s just no way to fund the entire show (through ticket sales),” said Oppenheim, a Medill senior and former Daily staff member.

She added that the group wants to keep the tickets affordable for students.

Other group leaders said they saw no reason to appeal SAFB’s original recommendations.

Alianza, NU’s Latino student group, received a recommendation of $4,920, slightly more than leaders requested.

“We were definitely very excited about it,” said Alianza president Karla Diaz.

She said the money will help fund the group’s annual Spring Quarter comedy show.

“We were very concerned in the spring when we didn’t get (the funds),” said Diaz, a Weinberg junior.

Other groups that were not recommended to receive their full requests said they are still satisfied with their recommendations and will not appeal tonight.

A&O Productions received less than half of its request, but A&O’s director of finance, Weinberg junior Jenna Pilat, said she was pleased, especially given that this year’s funding pool was slightly smaller than in past years.

In addition to funding appeals, senators will examine a report submitted by the Safety Subcommittee of the Student Services Committee. The report deals with recent concerns about violent crime against students.

The ASG meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m. in the Northwestern rooms at Norris University Center and is open to the NU community.