Duke University Union members approved a proposal that will grant the Last Day of Classes Committee $25,000 of Union funds Tuesday evening.
The event is annually co-sponsored by DUU and Campus Council.
Submitted by LDOC co-chairs Vincent Ling and Chamindra Goonewardene, both juniors, the budget calls for a $25,000 contribution by DUU-a $5,000 increase from last year.
More than 50 percent of the members present voted in favor of the proposal, and the budget passed despite concern about the increase.
Goonewardene, who is also the director of the Union's Major Attractions Committee, said Campus Council has agreed to match DUU's $25,000 contribution, but the Office of Student Activities and Facilities has not yet agreed to funding.
President Katelyn Donnelly, a senior, requested that voting take place by ballot.
The passed proposal will be sent to the University Union Board for final approval.
Drum set purchases, spring formal plans and Griffith Film Theater movie selections were also topics of discussion.
The meeting began with a unanimously supported proposal to purchase a drum kit that would be provided for performances during special events and be available for open mic nights at the Duke Coffeehouse.
Vice President of Internal Affairs Rob Carlson, a senior, proposed the creation of a formal dance to take place at the Washington Duke Inn that would be added to the current lineup of spring activities.
"What this event is going to try to do is integrate all facets of people here at Duke," Carlson said. "We're encouraging each individual from the undergraduates, the graduates and faculty to associate with people they wouldn't normally associate with."
After the meeting, Donnelly said she held similar views.
"It kind of fills a void because there are currently no formal opportunities for independents," Donnelly said.
The spring formal proposal, however, generated concern among Union officials who said the event may not make an impression on students.
"When you have one event per semester, then people look forward to it and it becomes a legacy," said Films Presentations Director Devin Alavian, a senior. "If this [formal] kind of gets lost in the shuffle, then I'm not really sure it's worth it."
Despite the executive support, the proposal was rejected and deferred to a later date after a budget re-evaluation.
Presentations by Alavian and Cable 13 President Orcun Unlu, a senior, provided an update on the current progress of Cable 13.
"I don't know if it's funny or sad that some of you called Cable 13 nonfunctional," he said. "But the fact that a 24-seven TV station is called nonfunctional is not good."
He added that the station is currently working on new shows and reality shows such as "Iron Dorm Chef" as a part of their programming.
Alavian announced a new event in place of the regular Freewater Presentations movie showing at Griffith Theater this week.
Instead, "Two Hands," a documentary co-directed by Emmy Award-nominee Nathaniel Kahn and featuring John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honoree Leon Fleisher will be screened. The documentary is nominated for an Academy Award and will be screened Thursday.
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