The Student Union's Finance Board is now able to reimburse eligible student groups for lodging and transportation costs, Director of Communications Brian Paternostro '07 said.The new funding allowances were made available by last year's reforms to the club funding system, Paternostro said.

"Due to the large-scale increase in the amount given to the F-Board, we are able to now allow clubs to receive funding for some of the most expensive expenses," he said, adding that the change only required a simple F-Board vote to change current rules.

Last spring, the student body overwhelmingly voted to reform the distribution of the Student Activities Fee, enacting legislation that would potentially take money away from larger secured groups and redistribute it among smaller groups. The legislation left the F-Board some discretion. However,with extra money available this year, secured groups are being funded at significantly lower levels than in previous years.

During the SAF campaign, Union leaders promised that by giving the F-board more money to allocate to clubs, chartered group leaders would see more of their activities funded.

Last April, Max Yarmolinsky '06, then-president of the Chess Club, said, before the vote took place reforming the system, that it had been difficult for his chartered club to get enough funding under the old distribution of SAF funds.

"While other universities would pay for hotels and airfares, it was out of the question for us to even ask for those things," he said.

Now, according to the Treasurer's manual, clubs may request transportation and lodging reimbursement during Marathon and Early Marathon sessions, which are when clubs come before F-Board to justify reimbursement for their planned activities that semester.

Competitive clubs will be reimbursed for travel to competitions, but not to practices, the manual, posted at union.brandeis.edu, states.

Non-competitive clubs will be covered for transportation if the activity is necessary for the club's purpose.