Every Kent State student pays student activity fees each semester, but few know where that money actually goes.

Student activity fees are split into three funds: The All-Campus Programming Board receives 54 percent, the May 4 Task Force receives approximately 2 percent, and the rest falls into the hands of the Allocations Committee.

The Allocations Committee is chaired by Andrew Ljubi, senator for business and finance of the Undergraduate Student Senate. Any registered student organization can request money from the fund by submitting a request form and making a presentation before the Allocations Committee.

According to a recent report by the Allocations Committee, it has spent less than expected at this point in the year. A sum of $82,000 remains from the starting budget of $140,000. The funds given to the Allocations Committee are distributed annually, and once they run out, they are exhausted for the school year.

The majority of the money that was spent this school year went to Black United Students and the Kent State hockey team.

Black United Students received $25,510 for its comedy show, which was part of the Homecoming celebration. Four comics from Black Entertainment Television’s ComicView performed to the well-attended event.

The hockey team received $10,500 for this season’s expenses.

Only 14 requests have been granted so far this semester, and the Allocations Committee is pleased with its budgeting thus far.

We’re glad the Allocations Committee has been very careful with the budget. Realistically, all students contribute to student activity fees regardless of whether they want to, and each dollar should be treated with care. The fund is not renewed until the following school year, and student groups should not be shortchanged if they need money from Allocations in the spring.

It is also positive that the Allocations Committee gave money to a student-organized event that had a large turnout. Student interest should be a partial gauge of which student groups receive money.

However, we hope the Allocations Committee makes more efforts to help student organizations bring educational programming to Kent State. In an academic atmosphere, it seems necessary to draw big names that can not only entertain but educate.

It’s disappointing that the May 4 Task Force only gets 2 percent of the budget. May 4 is such a major event in Kent State history. If we don’t invest money into reminding students of its importance, that importance may be lost. A lack of funding to support May 4 events shows a lack in priorities with Allocations funding.

It would be commendable if funding was given to the May 4 Task Force to host a memorial event on the day of the shootings.

We all know how important next year’s election is. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a big name in the election stop by to talk to students? That may not be as impossible as it seems. If we can spend $20,000 on a comedy show, shouldn’t we be able to do the same for an educational program?

The Allocations Committee can only fund the programs they are presented. If you have a program you would like to see at Kent State, take it to a student group that could share your interests.

We hope each student organization is taking advantage of the opportunity to go before the committee and make a proposal. You cannot complain about programming if you don’t make an effort to change it.

The above is the consensus of the

Daily Kent Stater editorial board.