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RCF decision due Thursday
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by Nick Penzenstadler
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Breaking new ground into the shared governance policy, the Students Services Finance Committee is scheduled to decide the funding status for the University of Wisconsin Roman Catholic Foundation Thursday.
Last Monday, the Student Judiciary, a subsidiary of the Associated Students of Madison, ruled in favor of UWRCF in its case against SSFC. The ruling forces the committee to re-evaluate its decision to deny the religious group contract status.
Contract status would allow UWRCF to receive funding for full-time staff employees in the 2006-07 budget cycle. All funding that SSFC allocates comes from student-segregated fees tacked on to tuition bills every semester.
According to UWRCF spokesperson Tim Kruse, his organization felt it was denied contract status by the committee members' "unbridled discretion," adding the committee did not fully explain the decision.
The SJ decision last Monday directed SSFC members to provide individual evaluation forms to explain their denial or approval of each organization's contract status. SSFC approved the new documentation last Thursday and is required by its own bylaws to wait five days before rehearing UWRCF's request for contract status.
Last week, Kruse told The Badger Herald that the foundation is not entirely confident the committee will rule in UWRCF's favor.
"We are optimistic, but not euphoric," Kruse said. "Whatever we come up with, they vote 'No.'"
And SSFC representative Kellie Sanders said the outcome might not end up being any different than the first time around.
"I don't think any committee members' views will change," Sanders said. "It's the exact same criteria, but now we have to fill out an evaluation form."
Jackie Goessl, another SSFC representative, said she sees the decision as a different scenario than eligibility, which already requires evaluation forms for representatives to explain their decisions.
And with the new procedure in place, Goessl said she is satisfied with the benefit to the organization.
"Now that we have the forms, it makes us more transparent," she said.
Goessl added UWRCF is required to meet four criteria in order to be approved for contract status. Goessl maintained, however, these criteria were never met in the first place.
Sanders said UWRCF did not win her over with its arguments when the group initially applied for contract status in November.
"The organization didn't really justify how the actual services to the campus will change, because the services will remain the same," she said. "It's just a matter of where they're getting the money that would change."
At previous SSFC meetings, Kruse said full-time employees are needed to fully serve the university.
"Having full-time staff is absolutely crucial to meeting the spiritual and educational needs of students," Kruse said. "Because our mission is theological, we need highly trained staff in theology to train others."
According to Kruse, UWRCF would be "like the university hospital with no doctors" if it did not have such staff.
Sanders said regardless of the decision Thursday, SSFC will look at specific criteria and minimize the possibility for unbridled discretion in the spring.
All parties involved in the ongoing UWRCF situation are making strides toward reaching a common ground according to Sanders.
"I think that the university and UWRCF are both willing to work together," Sanders said.
"I think the university is trying to do what's right for the students, and I think they'll find a compromise."
—Joanna Pliner contributed to this report.
Anonymous (December 12, 2006 @ 10:15am):
"According to Kruse, UWRCF would be "like the university hospital with no doctors" if it did not have such staff."
Sure, except that we need doctors. We do not need God, nor do we need "highly trained staff" in theology. You have your Bible. Should that not be enough? Afterall, "it's God's word." I would expect God to help you out a little more on this one...
Anonymous (December 12, 2006 @ 11:31am):
I find it hard to believe that any group on campus truly needs these huge, overpaid full time staffs to serve minor segments of the student population.
