Representatives from the Talisman attended the Student Government Association’s final meeting of the semester on Tuesday night to discuss the yearbook and its budget.

During the meeting, Talisman Editor-in-Chief Katie Honadle, Student Publications Director Chuck Clark and Talisman Adviser Charlotte Turtle presented information and answered questions about the past, present and future state of the Talisman.

“It [the Talisman] really documents the history of the Hill,” Honadle said.

Yearbook budget cuts have caused many involved with the publication to seek sponsorships, propose lower distribution rates and fundraise to maintain sufficient funding and safeguard the Talisman’s award-winning quality.

To date, the publication has won 15 Pacemaker awards — the highest honor a collegiate publication can receive.

“The Talisman is a national point of pride for WKU,” Clark said.

The cuts may prompt a decrease in both the book’s page count from 400 to 352 pages and the number of copies printed from 5,000 to 3,000 from the 2014 book.

Currently, the Talisman’s budget is $82,000. The publication received an additional $45,000 from one-time funds granted by both Gordon Emslie, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, and Vice Provost Richard Miller. Additional money will come from Herald reserves that were generated by ad sales.

However, this is not a permanent solution, as both the university-granted funds and the Herald reserve money are only for the current school year.

“The Herald cannot sustain financial stake in the Talisman,” President Gary Ransdell said in an email.

Ransdell said he would revisit the issue of the Talisman budget in the coming spring.

All options currently being explored by the Talisman are nothing more than ideas. No permanent measures have been taken.

The last meeting also focused on upcoming graduating seniors.

SGA President Keyana Boka and Hannah Garland, director of Academic and Student Affairs, recognized and distributed honorary white tassels to four new inductees to the Society of Distinguished Graduates.

Boka said the white tassels will make inductees stand out among the “sea of yellow tassels.”

Sarah Schrader, McKinley Ingram, Eric Wills and Kelsey Thomason are the newest inductees to the society.

The Society of Distinguished Graduates recognizes seniors for their achievements and accomplishments outside of the academic field. Inductees are nominated by department heads and selected by SGA.

Ingram and Schrader were present during the meeting to receive their recognition.

Ingram is involved in many WKU programs. She currently acts as a Communications Ambassador and is vice president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Schrader, a Gatton Academy graduate, has traveled abroad to various countries in Asia to teach and complete various forms of research. She’s also been awarded several scholarships, and is a finalist for the Rose scholarship.

“The things that they’ve done are remarkable,” Garland said.

SGA concluded the meeting by passing three bills. Two distributed money to various WKU clubs and organizations, while the other allocated money for Winter Term scholarships.