By Elise Foley and Paul TakahashiThe Daily Northwestern

More than $850,000 could be distributed to as many as 38 student groups during tonight’s extended ASG Senate meeting.

The financial arm of Associated Student Government, the Student Activities Finance Board, gave its recommendations last Wednesday as to how money should be distributed to the groups. A&O Productions received the highest recommendation, $253,337, and Alternative Spring Break received the lowest – no funds were recommended.

The money provided to groups comes from the Student Activities Fee, which is paid for by a $126 charge students pay each year.

The funding process will take place at ASG’s weekly Senate meeting and will likely carry over into next week’s meeting. Representatives from student groups will attend the meeting, along with Senate members and members of the SAFB.

The process will begin with a cut round, in which money can be taken away from the groups’ recommended funding. Next is a second round, in which ASG will go through each group and debate giving more money than SAFB recommended.

The order of the groups was chosen randomly. Student groups near the bottom of the list likely won’t have a chance to ask for additions until next week’s meeting.

During the second round, senators or student group representatives usually argue to add funds, while SAFB members defend their original recommendations.

SAFB may occasionally support giving a student group an increase because their original recommendation was based on a technicality.

Aneesa Arshad, ASG’s financial vice president and a SESP junior, said Alternative Spring Break was not recommended for funding in part because of a rule that gives priority to events that take place during the academic year. ASB events take place during school breaks.

But Alternative Spring Break co-chairman Paul Boye said the group has previously been recommended for funding by SAFB despite the rule.

“The past two years, they acknowledged the rule but allowed us to get funding,” the Weinberg junior said. “Our programming has improved, so it’s disheartening to be punished for successful programming.”

The group plans to ask for more funding at tonight’s Senate meeting. Program Director Maggie Cerjan, a Music sophomore, said they hope they will have more success.

Groups can lobby at the meeting for increased funding. SEED co-chairwoman Rachel Patten said her group hopes to receive more funding for their Philfest event.

Recommendations are based heavily on reviews of events, Arshad said, so Philfest was not recommended for as much money as it requested because it was too late in the year to be reviewed.

“Our events are kind of contingent on being funded,” said Patten, a SESP junior. “In order to bring a speaker or bring bands, you have to have that money.”

Funding should allow groups to continue to bring programming to NU.

“We really want to provide good events for the students on campus, and we’re lucky that we benefit from the Student Activities Fee,” Patten said.

Reach Elise Foley at [email protected].

Reach Paul Takahashi at [email protected].