The Pitt-Johnstown 2013 budget was approved April 1 by Student Government Association members. President-elect and current allocations chair Noam Berns said that his budget evaluations were fair and unbiased because they were based on proofs such as invoices and receipts.

He also said that he had followed a formula that had helped him determine what amount to grant to allocation requests.

“No two budgets are comparable,” said Berns. “As a committee, we decided to do the budget on a case-by-case bases.”

According to Berns, allocation committee members would first configure a reference amount that acts as a minimum based on the local dues of each organization multiplied by the average number of members of both fall and spring semesters.

“As a committee, we also decided not to allocate for personal equipment such as clothing and dues.

“Additionally, we made a standard as a committee of $100 for rituals and $200 for recruitment.”

On average, clubs received approximately 65 percent of what they had requested.

The Math Club was not granted any money.

“They did not have any proof to their requests at all,” said Berns.  “(They) did not follow the guidelines presented to all organizations at the presidents’ meeting.”

The Karate Club members received only 1 percent of their money requested, while the Association of Information Technology Professionals received only 6 percent.

The larger amounts of money were granted to the Programming Board, which had received $154,400; Ice Hockey Club, $50,000; and Cheerleaders, $28,699.

The Advocate was allocated $12,000 for printing.

The Student Activity Fee is what goes toward providing the allocation funds for clubs.

The fee is $83 for each student next semester, like the previous two. Of that amount, 3 percent, $2.49, would be given to the Advocate; around 8 percent, $6.7, for the Cheerleaders; 41 percent, $34 to the Programming Board, which is the committee setting up concerts; and 14 percent, $11.6 for Ice Hockey.