The Student Services Fee Advisory Board recommended which programs the $1.9 million student fee should fund at its open board hearings on Wednesday and Thursday.

Funding applications submitted to the board requested a total of $2.4 million. The board had $1.9 million to allocate, with a 10 percent buffer to ensure it would not overspend.

The board continuously explained that programs that requested funding should also be seeking outside sources of funding from places like the Associated Students of the University of Arizona and Student Affairs.

Daniel Altomare, the co-chair of the Student Services Fee Advisory Board, said that this was, in part, because he wants new programs seeking funds to use the board as an opportunity for them.

Kenny Ho, a member of the board, said they funded programs that they saw as priorities for students.

Applications approved in full, such as Safe Ride, were funded because they are student run, show a growing need, provide student jobs and give academic support.

Applications that failed to receive approval, such as the Arizona Student Unions Games Room staffing, did so because the board failed to see how it would impact the majority of students and they did not see how jobs provided by those programs would enhance future careers of students.

Many members of the board said that the main reason for not approving or for amending applications was due to “”scarcity of funds.””

The board is made up of four appointed members of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, three members from ASUA and four student members from various departments. The hearings allow the board to provide student fee recommendations to Melissa Vito, the vice president of student affairs, who makes the final decision as to where student fee dollars are allocated.