Student Association Senate approved a projected $54,345 in annual funding for the Academic and Professional subcommittee and General Programming and Activities subcommittee for the 2015 fiscal year.

Annual funding for subcommittees

The Academic and Professional subcommittee will be allotted $22,445, which will be dispersed among 23 academic and professional organizations. The $31,900 for the General Programming and Activities subcommittee will be given to 16 student organizations.

“I agree with the recommendation of the finance committee,” said Senator James Alford. “They took into consideration every program.”

The Academic and Professional subcommittee is looking at a $2,738 increase from last year’s allocation, while the General Programming and Activities subcommittee is looking at a $1,775 cut. Facing the largest cut within the latter is the Music Society with a projected cut of $1,600.

Constitutional amendment

A bill to amend the SA Senate election process in the Constitution will be voted on at the next meeting Sunday.

If approved, there will be two SA Senate elections instead of one. One election will occur in the fall and one in the spring. An election for 20 senators from four voting districts will occur April 2015, then 20 more senators will be elected in September 2015.

Senator Alonte Holliday, who presented information about the proposed election amendment, said among the reasons for it are low voter turnout for fall elections and the lack of competition from candidates.

“Sometimes, we need adaptation,” Holliday said. “I feel like when you have a 6 percent voter turnout, that’s the time when you say, ‘Maybe something has to change.’”

Other business

Senate Speaker Dillon Domke was re-elected for the 2014-2015 academic year.

“We had a lot of things this semester that made me a better person to be speaker in the future,” Domke said. “I can say that there was a learning curve.”

Cabinet positions for president-elect Joe Frascello will be announced April 29. Positions will be chosen from a pool of 40 applicants.

The Mass Transit Committee will hold a bus workshop at 5:30 p.m. April 29 of the Holmes Student Center, Room 505.

The Astronomical Society, a student organization that aims to advance education in astronomy, was recognized.