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Council turns down Greeks
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by Becky Vevea
Thursday, September 13, 2007
After a minor victory with the Associated Students of Madison's Student Judiciary last month, a Greek community group faced defeat again when they were denied complete funding for a campus event a second time.
On Wednesday, the ASM Student Council voted 13-3 to uphold the cuts to the Panhellenic Association made by the ASM Finance Committee in their second hearing of the case.
The vote came through even after the Student Judiciary decided the first ruling violated viewpoint neutrality.
SJ ruled the cuts made by the finance committee during their initial grant proposal July 17 were influenced by comments made by representatives of the committee regarding stereotypes of the Greek community.
As a result, SJ ordered a rehearing before ASM Student Council to determine the grant request.
Mollie Shambeau, public relations chair of the Panhellenic Association, said the group’s event, which was held Monday, was intended for the entire University of Wisconsin campus.
"This event was for all students," Shambeau said, adding that this was the first event Panhellenic Association ever hosted that was open to the entire campus.
Shambeau said the organization would have to dip into savings funds to pay for the event if funding was not provided.
Questions from the Student Council representatives focused on how well the event was advertised outside of the Greek community.
Shambeau distributed information on the planning and advertising of the event and emphasized it was publicized to students in various methods, including e-mails to incoming freshmen, a newspaper advertisement and mention in the UW Welcome Week handout.
The Office of the Dean of Students was also supportive of the Panhellenic Association's effort and gave $1,000 to support the event, Shambeau said.
FC chair Brittany Wiegand, who defended FC in the SJ hearing, said she stood behind the cuts made but not behind the biased comments made by members of her committee.
Many viewpoint-neutral questions were asked about the event, Wiegand said, including location, advertising and fundraising.
Wiegand emphasized fiscal responsibility and the fact that the committee cannot fund every organization's event in full.
Other large grants proposed as part of the summer budget included the Memorial Union Bash at $3,575 and the upcoming Madison World Music Festival at just over $6,000, Wiegand said.
Wiegand told the Student Council that awarding the Panhellenic Association the requested $1,500 would not financially send FC "into the red."
After hearing both sides and allowing questions, the Student Council started discussing the grant.
Finance Committee Vice Chair Supreet Shah said, "All cuts were done to be fiscally responsible."
Disagreeing with Shah, Student Council Representative Matthew Walsh thought the money should be given to the Panhellenic Association as reparation and the Finance Committee should learn from the mistake.
However, Student Council representatives ultimately voted not to grant the Panhellenic Association their grant request.
Shambeau and Panhellenic Association President Sarah Anderson were disappointed by Student Council’s decision, but stood by their efforts to host the event and appeal the original decision.
"The fact that the Student Judiciary reversed the initial proposal shows the claims we are making are legitimate," Anderson said.
Anonymous (September 13, 2007 @ 7:41am):
GO GREEK OR BE WEAK.
Anonymous (September 13, 2007 @ 3:39pm):
ASM turning down the Greeks? Not surprised. You think the type of kid who gets involved with ASM has any interest in Greek life? No way. Now, if this were an LGBT or "diversity" speaker, oh man, not IF you can be funded, but HOW MUCH funding!
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