The Undergraduate Council on Sunday evening approved what the council claims is a record-high figure in grants to student groups.

But new restrictions on about 15 percent of the total mean that the funds allocated to student groups may be less than the stated figure.

"Hitting the six figure mark [for student groups] is a great accomplishment," said council member Noah Z. Seton '00. "The problem is that I don't think we've accomplished that."

In the plan they presented to the council, the sponsors of the budget bill, council President Lamelle D. Rawlins '99 and Treasurer Beth A. Stewart '00, said that student groups will receive a total of $101,693.84.

But that figure generated much confusion among council members at Sunday's meeting.

The total sum includes 63 percent of student term-bill fees collected this term. The council is constitutionally required to disburse at least 60 percent of term-bills-fees to student groups.

But the total also includes a new $10,000 Harvard Dining Services grant for food-related expenses, and a new $5,000 endowment, called the Copeland Fund, which is intended to improve interaction between Faculty and students.

Council members said it is unclear whether those two sums will actually go to student groups.

"My contention was that there was a discrepancy in the numbers they presented to us," Seton said. "They told us a couple of things during the meeting."

At the heart of the confusion is the uncertain purpose of the new funds.

The Copeland Fund, brainchild of Rawlins and Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, is earmarked for activities that promote student-Faculty relations.

Rawlins and Stewart said that up to $3,000 of the $5,000 total might be used to fund the Levinson Teaching Awards given each spring.

The Dining Services grant includes funds that the Coca-Cola Co. has given to Dining Services for student groups. Previously, that money has been available only for council-sponsored events; this year, the council has total discretion over its allocation.

Rawlins and Stewart acknowledged that funding for council-sponsored events and for the Levinson awards may come out of the total for student groups-thus lowering their stated grand total.

Eric M. Nelson '99 criticized Rawlins and Stewart for placing the new grants under the student-groups budget heading.