With $279,528 in allocated funds, the All Campus Programming Board is planning on a better FlashFest and more events this year.

Representatives from ACPB presented its 2006-2007 budget proposal at the Undergraduate Student Senate’s public meeting yesterday afternoon. The proposal was unanimously approved by all of the senators who were present.

ACPB President Shana Scott, Vice President Christopher Taylor and Special Events Chair Colleen Burch were met with dozens of questions from the senators.

Concerns ranged from the Homecoming Concert to attendance and new programs. But most of the questions posed were about FlashFest.

“We’re giving our concert chair more money to find a bigger headliner,” Scott said.

ACPB plans to allocate a total of $115,000 for FlashFest. During discussion, Scott and Taylor stressed the changes that ACPB is making this year and how it is planning to improve FlashFest and other events.

“(FlashFest) in the past has been bad,” Scott said.

Taylor said working with varying opinions is hard, but the main goal is to bring a better lineup to campus.

Justin Jeffery, senator for community affairs, suggested that FlashFest become something Kent State students are proud of.

“It all ties into the university’s goal this year on retention,” he said.

Upcoming programs planned for this year were also discussed. New programs include Friday shows at the Rathskeller, Battle of the Comedians and a concert in January.

“(The Friday shows) were pushed by the university and President Lefton,” Taylor said.

Battle of the Comedians is a new program that will take place this semester. Scott said it is a similar program to Battle of the Bands. The event will be emceed by a known comedian, Burch said.

“It’s an experimental program,” Taylor said. “We don’t know exactly how it’s going to turn out.”

USS Executive Director Ross Miltner said he is pleased with the work ACPB is doing to improve programming.

Also at the meeting, USS unanimously passed a bill to create the new Student Advisory Input Commission. The commission will create an avenue for student input for many departments that don’t have representation.

Contact student politics reporter Kali Price at [email protected].