The student government approved a $12,000 event grant for Hoofers Ski and Snowboard Club and a $5,000 grant for the Empowerment through Development and Gender Equality Project in their meeting Wednesday night.

Elli Durban, representative from Hoofer’s Ski and Snowboard club, addressed the Associated Students of Madison Student Council, requesting a grant for Hoofer’s upcoming event, Rail Jam.

Durban said last year the event qualified for different innovative grants because it was the first time the event had been held.

This year, Hoofers has had tremendous issues finding sources of funding and is asking for more money from Student Council than it had asked for last year, Durban added.

In addition to the $12,000 initially requested, Durban asked the council to consider increasing the amount of money the club requested to $15,000.

University Affairs Committee Chair Carl Fergus asked the council to decrease the amount by $5,625 in order to match the amount approved for last year’s event, $6,375.

Fergus said when the council approved increasing the amount funded byASMin event grants, it was with the idea that it would be funding more events, not giving more money to single events.

“I am going to continue railing against these high cost honoraria for single events,” Fergus said. “$12,000 is almost doubling our own contribution last year.”

Student Services Finance Committee Chair Matt Manes said if Finance Committee thought the request was set for an appropriate amount, it is not appropriate for the council to override the committee’s decision because it would affect the quality of the event.

“I feel that by cutting this amount, the group would not be able to host this event in a manner that would be successful,” Manes said.

Representative Melissa Hanley addressed Durban, asking if the event could be successful if the council were to approve the grant at its initial amount.

Durban said without the extra $3,000, it would be possible to hold the event.

In the end, the council approved the event grant at $12,000.

The council was also presented with another grant request from theEDGE Project.

The group asked the council for $5,000 in order to send eight students on a trip to Lingira Island, Uganda next June in order to work on research project related to sustainable international development

The council voted to approve the travel grant.

Chair Brandon Williams asked Finance Committee Chair Matt Beemsterboer if it seemed the Finance Committee had been receiving a larger number of grants than last year.

By this time last year the committee had received four that were large enough to have to appear in front of the council, Beemsterboer said. This year, they have received five so far.

He said the committee has received more travel grants than in the past.

Chief of Staff Tom Templeton also spoke about a new piece of legislation at the meeting, sponsored by Shared Governance Committee Chair Kyle Vandenlangenberg, that would mandate report updates from the chief at council meetings.

Vandenlangenberg said the legislation would make sure there is transparency and accountability in positions for whichASMpays.