The Ice Hockey team was granted $10,640 at the Sept. 26 Undergraduate Student Government Senate meeting to purchase new jerseys, using more than one seventh of the USG grant fund in addition to their budget of $95,105.65, the largest of any USG-funded club.

The president of Ice Hockey and former USG senator Wesley Hawkins presented the request, explaining that the club’s budget from USG only pays for $74,000 in operating costs and $25,000 to rent a bus for travel.

The operating cost includes the $500 hourly expense of using an off-campus ice rink for three hours every week, as well as money for referees at home games and athletic trainers.

The 35 members of the club pay a membership fee of $1,500 each to supplement their budget, which totals approximately $152,000. They also seek corporate sponsorships.

“Hockey is an expensive sport,” Hawkins said.

WUSB radio has the second largest budget from USG at $62,779.59.

The 70 jerseys the team will purchase—35 for home and 35 for away games—cost $127 dollars each. They will also purchase 70 pairs of socks at $25 each for home and away games.

The funds were requested as an asset grant, which are available from USG for long-term purchases for clubs that have USG budgets. $70,000 was allocated in this year’s budget for grants, $31,342.54 of which has now been allocated with the inclusion of the Hockey team.

Last year’s grant fund was exhausted before the end of the fall semester due to over-allocation. However, now that more than 30 percent of the grant fund has been expended, future asset grants this academic year will be capped at $5,000—one of several amendments made to the USG financial bylaws at the beginning of the semester to stem the flow of grant funds.

Normally the budget committee approves grant requests, but because the hockey team’s request exceeded $10,000, the USG financial bylaws required the approval of the senate. The grant passed unanimously.

In addition, the Tae Kwon Do and SBU Ringer clubs were approved for provisional budgets from the Special Services Committee.

The senate also passed bylaws for the USG Media Agency, which was created by amendments made to the USG constitution last semester. The agency will be responsible for hiring photographers and videographers who clubs can contract for events.

USG Vice President of Communications Mario Ferone drafted the bylaws, and will be ultimately responsible for hiring staff for the agency. He said he has selected six photographers who will require the approval of the USG Administrative Director.

Clubs will be able to look at the portfolios and resumes of agency staff and select who they would like to cover their event. The deadline to apply for a photographer will be two weeks before the event, following other USG application deadlines,

The club will be responsible for the full cost of event coverage, plus two hours after the event for photo and video editing. USG will also hire photographers and videographers from the agency to cover USG events. Wages for agency staff will be set at a future meeting.