During the first meeting of the 2008-09 school year, the Associated Students Finance Board provided $6,070 to 13 groups, leaving $396,204.15 in its coffers for the rest of the year.

Board members partially funded requests from the Business Economics Association, Mock Trial, Active Minds and Colleges Against Cancer while also tabling a request from the A.S. president in the four-hour meeting. In addition, the board distributed a $250 start-up fund to nine groups.

Members also divided the total $402,275.15 in unallocated funds for the year into allotments for the next three quarters, with $100,000 each for Fall and Winter Quarters and $200,000 for Spring Quarter.

When the A.S. president’s $2,255 request was initially shot down without discussion, several board members reacted harshly and questioned the reasoning behind the rejection.

Member Paige Blatt said she understood the logic in holding off on funding until the president had exhausted his budget, but noted that she thought it impossible to make a decision on the matter without hearing information first.

“I am really appalled right now that there was a completely biased statement just made,” Blatt said. “I’m shocked that someone made a motion on something that wasn’t even spoken on.”

The request was tabled until next week due to a lack of information on the request.

Meanwhile, the board allocated $2,620 of a requested $5,347 to Active Minds, a mental health awareness group. The money will go toward funding the fee for inspirational speaker Kevin Hines, as well as food for the club’s first informational meeting of the year.

Colleges Against Cancer received $440 for table tents, while their request for t-shirt funding was tabled for next week.

Board members debated extensively on what precedent to set for T-shirt funding. Member Darshan Grover said although he thought it was for a good cause, he felt Finance Board paying for the t-shirts was equivalent to simply making the donation.

“It’s a great cause, but it’s not [Finance Board’s] duty to necessarily help them sell T-shirts,” Grover said. “I’d like to see a more proactive and entrepreneurial approach. It’s almost like a full donation is being made from us to them, with them acting as the mediator.”

The board contemplated setting a precedent for funding one-time requests for a maximum of $1,000 for T-shirts intended to “raise awareness,” but the action was tabled due to the loose interpretation of the term “awareness.”

The board also approved $550 worth of registration fees out of Mock Trial’s requested $2,811.92. The rest of the money intended for competition fees was tabled for next week. Lastly, the board granted the Business Economics Association $210 of a requested $350 for publicity, food and audio equipment for their showcase event.