Three Apportionment Board-funded boards made their arguments for fiscal year 2003 budgets Thursday night, each asking for increases.

The University Board asked for a 10 percentage overall increase to fund items including an advertising contract with The Daily Eastern News, tuition waivers for the UB chair and vice chair, the creation of a public relations committee and co-coordinator position for the graphic design committee and stipends to retain and recruit committee coordinators.

The Student Recreation Center requested a 24 percent increase to replace and renew equipment and possibly add a climbing wall.

The Dramatic Performances Board also made their case for next year’s budget based on student ticket sales of $8,614.

The UB presented several new ideas it wants to implement last year, citing improvement this year in small concerts and movie attendance.

For Homecoming events, UB Chair Stephanie Skrzypek suggested dropping fun games, which cater to only “certain organizations” on campus in favor of something more inclusive, like a Harlem Wizards basketball game.

The UB’s advertising strategy was also reworked to include a weekly half-page ad in The Daily Eastern News with information on the week’s programming to replace small ads for each separate event.

Ken Baker, director of the Student Recreation Center, and intramural director Kevin Lasley presented a proposal for the portion of the Student Recreation Center budget funded by AB. The center also gets money from a Student Recreation Center Fee, General Assembly funds and membership fees of non-students.

Baker proposed adding new treadmills, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, aerobics mats, free weights, intramural equipment and reupholstering couches and loveseats. He also suggested adding a climbing wall, either in the lobby or beside the track.

The center has much more equipment and much less full time staff than most comparable university rec centers, Baker said, explaining he would rather spend money on equipment for students than staff.

The new free weights would be rubber-coated to prevent damage to the floor and to students.

“I’ve taken a few kids to the hospital for dropping (weights) on their toes,” Baker said.

The AB will give the five boards their budget amounts on March 7 and they will then have until March 21 for budget revisions.