The Marquette Student Government meeting Thursday night lasted only 19 minutes, but that was enough time to consider several budgetary issues regarding service trips and a proposed new recreational facility.

The Senate approved allocations for two spring break service trips, although each group received only about one-third of the money they requested and cuts were made from the amounts given last year.

After requesting $7,899.32, Habitat for Humanity was allocated $2,550 this year. The money will go to sending students across the country to rehabilitate and construct homes for needy families from March 14 to 21.

MUSG also approved allocations of funds for the MARDI GRAS spring break service trip to New Orleans from March 12 to 20.

MARDI GRAS requested $12,672 and was allocated $4,500. MARDI GRAS was given $6000 last year.

The allocations were voted on with no debate and passed with only two total “nay” votes.

These allocations were recommended by the MUSG Student Organizations Allocations Committee and needed 15 votes in the full Senate to pass.

Stephanie Stopka, executive vice president of MUSG, said cuts were made to service trip funding this year because MUSG needed to fit more on-campus programs into the budget.

“Surveys done by MUSG in the past have found that students would rather have stuff done around campus, and these both are off-campus so we budget accordingly,” said Stopka, a senior in the College of Business Administration.

Also at the meeting, MUSG President Henry Thomas, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said Reserve Fund Bill No. 1 would be moved to the MUSG Budget Committee.

This bill looks to allocate money in the reserve fund in order to move the university toward building a new recreational facility.

According to Thomas’s MUSG blog, the bill passed the committee unanimously on Friday.

Thomas said the bill will now move to the Senate for a vote. This vote will determine whether steps will be taken to hire an independent architecture firm to develop a plan for the new facility.

In other news:

• Thomas reminded MUSG senators and others that election materials are due Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m. in the MUSG office. Elections for next year’s MUSG members will be held in March.

• The College of Engineering and the off-campus community are still looking for new senators. Interested parties should contact Legislative Vice President Adam Tandez.

• Joe Ciccone, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, reported that the Academic Committee is currently looking into extending hours in select sections of the library.

• Brian Anderson, coordinator for university alcohol programs, informed MUSG members about the upcoming Alcohol Summit 2010. The March 1 event will present data collected by the AlcoholEdu program and the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey.