NEWS
Members dispute practices amid approvals
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Also by Andriy Pazuniak:
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- Cieslewicz, Judge come out on top in spring election (April 9, 2007)
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- UW to RIAA: No way (March 21, 2007)
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by Andriy Pazuniak
Friday, September 23, 2005
During a contentious meeting Thursday evening in which members called into question their committee's ethics and voting practices, the Student Services Finance Committee voted to grant Section V funding for the Greater University Tutorial Services and the Jewish Cultural Coalition, but not for the University of Wisconsin Roman Catholic Foundation.
Dissent surfaced after members of the Asian Pacific American Council spoke out against perceived unequal treatment by the SSFC after it voted down APAC's funding request at a previous meeting.
"You are sending the message that we are an invisible minority on this campus," APAC Chair Amy Eng told the committee during its open forum, "that we are an insignificant group of students undeserving of UW recognition."
Eng then told SSFC members that the committee itself needed APAC's educational services because of its "ignorance."
Debate between SSFC members arose later when some representatives voiced concern that the committee was not treating every organization equally in its funding-eligibility process.
"I am amazed at this committee," SSFC Representative Jennifer Knox told the committee during discussion on another culturally based student organization's application. "We ask other organizations the same questions and get the same answers, yet we say that's not significant enough."
Knox added that she was "flabbergasted" by the inconsistency of certain committee members' voting and threatened to file a Viewpoint Neutrality (VPN) complaint to the Student Judiciary Committee of the Associated Students of Madison.
The SSFC later voted in favor of revisiting APAC's eligibility for Section V funding — which comes from a special fee added onto UW students' tuition — at a later meeting.
Other heated debates between SSFC representatives emerged when the committee discussed the eligibility of UWRCF.
Deeming certain language in the UWRCF's bylaws — such as using the phrase "Roman Catholic" to describe the organization's students — as "exclusionary," violating eligibility criteria that all student organizations need be open to all students, the SSFC ruled the organization ineligible for Section V funding.
However, many SSFC members were conflicted on whether the language in the bylaws actually affected the UWRCF's daily operations, which they believed were "welcoming to all students."
Adding to the debate was the fact that the UWRCF had recently amended its bylaws and removed the controversial phrase.
"Actions speak louder than words," SSFC Representative Evan Woodington said. "They said 'Roman Catholic' before, but the problem has been fixed now."
In a decision that came down to the final vote, the SSFC ultimately ruled the UWRCF was in violation of being too "exclusionary" in its governing documents.
Avoiding the controversies preventing the UWRCF and APAC from receiving funding, the JCC and GUTS requests for funding were approved unanimously by the SSFC.
Despite the sometimes-fiery debate, SSFC members left Thursday's meeting pleased with what they achieved.
"It was a healthy debate [tonight]," SSFC Representative Eric Saar said after the meeting. "We need to get to a point where certain members are not calling out other members, but I really think the debate went well."
The SSFC plans to meet again Sept. 26.
