Northwestern administrators approved funding for undergraduate research, crosswalk countdowns and the Associated Student Government server, but not for summer internships, they told a student committee last week.

The Undergraduate Budget Priorities Committee submitted a list of funding recommendations in February and received the administration’s response in the mail Wednesday.

“The first thing I thought was that this is something that students will look at and think, ‘I can be directly affected by this,'” said Jonathan Marino, UBPC committee chairman and a SESP senior.

UBPC polls students and meets with student groups to determine what they would like to see funded, and then presents its case to the administration every year.

This year, the administration said an additional $12,500 would be available beginning in fiscal year 2007 for international travel expenses in connection with undergraduate research grants. Funds to install crosswalk countdowns have also been allocated.

Funding for improvements to the Music Administration Building will be provided if the School of Music covers one third of the total cost. Marino said a similar arrangement with the School of Music was included in last year’s budget, and improvements were made.

Administrators will also waive maintenance fees for the ASG server at the NUIT Data Center. These fees are about $8,000 per year, said Jay Schumacher, UBPC member and ASG president. It is unusual to have such an ASG-centered request, the Communication junior said, but this was a unique case because many students and student groups use the server. A new technical support position will also be created in the Division of Student Affairs, and the employee’s responsibilities will include helping ASG with its server.

ASG members also have been working throughout the year on a program to provide summer internship grants, but the administration decided not to fund it until a “clear plan” is presented.

Marino said that while the administration currently is not funding summer internships, they had “blessed the idea” and the program’s organizers would probably present a more specific plan in the fall.

Administrators also rejected UBPC’s requests for undergraduate finance classes, financial aid for summer study abroad and additional dance practice space. The university will not increase funds toward the NUnite program, which provides grants for student group events that promote diversity.

UPBC’s top priority – expanding Escort Service – took place in March. UBPC also requested canceled classes and enhanced programming on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which also was approved earlier this year.

“We’re never completely satisfied,” Marino said, “but overall we think the administration made a good effort to do what they could, given the constraints that they had.”

Reach Diana Samuels at [email protected].