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University finance committee holds budget hearing

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by Carl Jaeger

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

With the beginning of each new school year comes a new round of budget hearings for the Associated Students of Madison's Student Services Finance Committee, and this year is no exception.

Three University of Wisconsin student organizations presented their cases to the SSFC at a meeting Monday night, in hopes of receiving General Student Services Funds.

The organizations included Students for Tenant Resource Center, Asian and Pacific American Council Eligibility Hearing, and Wunk Sheek.

With GSSFs, organizations would have access to additional funding via student-segregated fees.

SSFC Chair Alex Gallagher said student organizations seeking GSSFs are required to apply for the status biannually.

The process, according to Gallagher, entails presenting their case to SSFC, attending a questions-and-answers segment with SSFC members, and eventually waiting for a vote as to whether they meet the funding requirements.

Gallagher added that, when presenting, student groups should keep in mind how their organization will affect the campus as a whole — one of the requirements to receive funding.

The STRC, an organization that provides services for students who experience difficulties with landlords and renting, was the first to present to SSFC.

"Students don't know that they have rights," said Jennie Mauer, a STRC representative. "These are our rights, and if we don't know our rights, we can't exercise our rights."

Mauer said out of 40,000 students who attend UW, 30,000 are renters, which she claimed justified the need for the organization on campus.

Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, who also represents STRC, said the organization had received funding for 12 years until last year, when the organization was denied eligibility due to a minor paperwork technicality.

After the hearing, Mauer said she felt confident about STRC’s presentation, saying SSFC "seemed pretty perceptive to our thoughts and what we had to say."

APAC, an organization that increases awareness and diversity of Asian and Pacific American issues on the UW campus, also presented before SSFC.

APAC chair Johnny Ly felt confident about his group's presentation, but said they were unsure of what to expect from SSFC.

"I think it went well," Ly said. "Again, we're meeting with SSFC, and SSFC can throw you any questions and you have to be set for it."

Ly added he believed APAC met all requirements set forth by SSFC to receive GSSF funding.

Wunk Sheek, an organization sharing and preserving American Indian heritage on campus through powwows, storytelling and indigenous meals, also presented to SSFC.

"I think we were prepared for all the questions they asked us, and they didn't throw us any curve balls," Wunk Sheek member Alison Bowman said. "We answered everything the best we could."

Wunk Sheek member Tim Annis said the organization speaks for a voice that is very small on this campus and will not be heard otherwise.

"Wunk Sheet gives its resources out to students … to keep campus climate where it's at and to increase diversity," Annis said.

Decisions on the eligibility hearings will be made at SSFC's meeting on Thursday.

Overall, Gallaghar said he was anxious about the decisions SSFC will make.

"I'm going to be interested to see how committee members interpret [the bylaws] and how these groups apply to it," Gallagher said.

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