The Student Senate passed unanimously Monday night the Organized Activities Budget for the next academic year, which allocates UW-Eau Claire segregated fees.

After completing its process of organizations and departments’ research, review, budget hearings, appellate hearings and deliberations, the Student Senate Finance Commission allocated nearly $4.12 million, a $12 increase (3.6 percent) in the segregated fees for the next academic year.

“Half of this increase is due to the newspaper program, which students almost unanimously supported paying for,” said Jacob Kampen, Student Senate Finance Commission Director. “So excluding the newspaper program, we are only raising 1.8 percent, which I think is really impressive.”

During the meeting, the senators passed a few amendments before the bill itself, including the finance of $5,000 for NOTA, $17,000 to the Student Senate because of its stipend increase and $500 to the Model United Nations organization.

“I was happy with all the amendments. I think we did the right thing based on the information that we had,” Kampen said. “Our commission did a really good job this year in controlling that extra spending.”

Eau Claire’s segregated fees finance many organizations on campus, including The Spectator, Athletics, Student Senate, Case, Flipside, Children’s Center and many others. Segregated fees do not include the fees from the Blugold Commitment.

Kampen said students should get involved with the Organized Activities Budget and that there are eight chairs for non-senators to join the commission and be part of the process every year.