While many students have been dissatisfied with the way Student Government spends their dollars, this semester’s SG election will finally provide an opportunity for students’ voices to be heard.As part of a new SG initiative inspired by the actions of universities including Yale, the Senate is now taking suggestions on how best to spend about $5,000 of student fees.”This is an opportunity for students to get a say in the funds that already go to SG and have them spent on something they want,” said Sen. Tyler Martin, College of Business, who sits on the Temporary Student Initiatives Committee overseeing the program.Students received a broadcast e-mail Jan. 20 asking them to submit project ideas to the SG Senate. Drop boxes will be set up at each of the University colleges today to collect student suggestions and will remain there until Feb. 10.Sen. Greg Upton, College of Business, said the biggest complaints SG receives from students is about how and why student funds are spent.Student opinions vary on how the money could best be spent. Suggestions range from smaller ideas with more directed investments to larger projects, which could involve the whole campus.”I would hire more tutors and counselors so students can have an equal opportunity to get aid with their studies and their personal lives,” said Samuel Devall, mathematics sophomore.Erica Callihan, communication disorders junior, said she would like to see more beautification projects and a greener campus. She also suggested improving the campus parking situation for off-campus students.Even if they agreed with the new initiative, many other students were less sure where they would like to see the funds spent. “I really don’t know where I would spend the money,” said Brittany Martin, business management freshman. “I’m not really sure what the campus could do with $5,000.”In its e-mail to the students, the SG Senate offered the students direct control over $5,000 from the Senate Contingency Account. The amount was set as a ballpark figure.”The neat thing about this bill is that the number 5,000 does not appear on it at all,” said Upton. “If a great idea were proposed that cost $7,500, we would consider that, too.”Student suggestions will be collected through Feb. 10, after which SG officials will sort through the ideas to weed out those that are unfeasible or impractical. Of those suggestions left, only three will be put up for a vote on the ballot in the coming spring election.More than 40 students replied to the broadcast e-mail Tuesday within four hours of it being sent, according to Martin. While some of the ideas did not fall within the scope of the program – such as fixing the University bus system – Martin said any input from students is beneficial.——Contact Adam Duvernay at [email protected]