The Student Budget Advisory Committee recently published the tentative budget of funds to be divided among various campus organizations for the 2003-2004 year.

The budget this year allocated more than ,000 to the organizations and is surprisingly less than the budget for the 2002-2003 fiscal year.

According to sophomore Randy Gray, SBAC Chairman and Student Government treasurer, 79 campus organizations applied for funding this year.

Although this number is one less than how many applied last year, the overall budget is lower because certain organizations who were given larger allocations last year did not request any funding this year.

The final budget will be posted Oct. 29.

Organizations that are unsatisfied with the funds they were given have had an opportunity to make appeals.

"The grounds for appeals lie in any organization feeling that they are entitled to more money than has been allotted to their organization," Gray said.

There are numerous circumstances that would warrant more funding from the SBAC after the initial amount is given.

If information is made available to the SBAC during the appeal that was not originally considered, the organization may be granted additional money. If the club presents "logical reasoning as to why their organization cannot operate with the decided funds" they will be given more Gray added. Also, if there was an oversight by the SBAC that led to the allotment of insufficient funds, more money may be given.

Approximately ,000 of the overall budget is set aside by the SBAC to be distributed during the appeals process.

The money that the SBAC divides among the different campus organizations is taken from the Wake Forest General Fund. According to Gray, John P. Anderson, vice president of finance and administration, ultimately decides how much money the SBAC is given to distribute to the student associations.

The application process entails a written application submission as well as an SBAC.

After the clubs apply, the tentative budget is posted, after which the appeals process occurs. The final budget is presented to the SG Legislature after all of the appeals are heard.

Funding is allotted on a case-by-case basis. The money granted depends on actual expenses. Allocations range from around given to newer, small organizations such as the Sign Language Club, to around ,000 given to larger clubs with larger expenses such as the Old Gold and Black and the Howler.

According to the tentative budget, some organizations, specifically Three to Four Ounces, a student literary magazine, received funding last year, but did not apply for any funding this year.

Junior Jessamine Buck, representative for Three to Four Ounces, said that the club has a hearing scheduled during which they hope to be granted money.

The overall budget this year is less than last year because of the organizations who did not apply for money.

There are eight new organizations that requested funds. They include Ducks Unlimited, Homerun, Operation Smile, Order of Omega, Sign Language Club, the Ballroom Dancing club, the running club and the women's ultimate Frisbee club.

The new Ballroom Dancing Club is one of the many organizations making appeals to the SBAC.

According to freshman Danielle VanSice, the club was granted ,000 and needs ,000.

She cited the need for a sound system, an instructor and transportation to and from competitions.

Currently the club meets once a week during which they learn and practice dances under the supervision of a paid instructor.

"We are at the beginner level now, but if we want to move to the intermediate level then we will need to pay more for the instructor to come at least twice a week," she said.