<p>The University of Florida Student Senate approved a budget last week that shows an increase of 4.7 percent from last year's budget. </p>
<p>Continue to 2nd paragraph The 2008-2009 Activity and Service Fee Budget allocates $13.29 million to "the Big Three" - Student Government, Recreational Sports and the Reitz Union.</p>
<p>The A&S Fee Budget is generated directly from students' money. The fee, which is reflected in the UF tuition price, is a little more than $8 a student per credit hour taken, Senate President Robert Agrusa said. So a student taking a full-time 12 credit semester will be paying about $100 in A&S fees.</p>
<p>The $4.35 million for Student Government will end up funding all student organizations and agencies as well as the SG administration. The Senate will vote later in the fall semester, further dividing the SG part of the budget into distinct parts, Agrusa said.</p>
<p>Another $4.35 million of the budget will cover all the expenses of Rec Sports, including all intramural sports, campus facilities and Rec Sports staff.</p>
<p>The rest of the budget will go to fund the Reitz Union. However, the $4.59 million allocated will only provide about half of what it takes to fund the student union for the year. The other money comes from the revenue that the union generates through the food court and other attractions, Agrusa said.</p>
<p>The primary reasons for the increase in the budget as highlighted in the budget's presentation are increases in the "USA Today" Readership Program and Student Government Productions co-sponsorships. The SGP increase is due to demand and an increased funding for Kaleidoscope Month to make up for previous underfunding.</p>
<p>Although the Senate has already approved the budget, the final vote to make it official will take place when SG meets Tuesday at Room 282 in the Reitz Union at 7:30 p.m. </p>