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Judiciary upholds denial of funding for CFACT

The Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow will likely not have another chance at General Student Service Funds until 2010 as a result of a recent decision made by the Student Judiciary.

The decision was released Wednesday and rejected the free market environmentalist group’s appeal, which claimed Student Services Finance Committee’s denial for funding eligibility was in violation of their rights as a Registered Student Organization.

The SSFC first denied CFACT’s funding Sept. 22 at a vote of 0-3-1.

“CFACT was denied funding mainly on the grounds that they did not have a completed application,” SSFC Chair Kurt Gosselin said. “Two of the members also said that they believed CFACT didn’t provide a direct service to students or that the services provided weren’t a majority of their organization.”

CFACT Vice President Alyssa Hext filed an appeal to the decision on Oct. 3, claiming SSFC Secretary and Badger Herald opinion columnist Kyle Szarzynski committed a viewpoint neutrality violation.

The appeal also said the left-leaning Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group was awarded time to meet with SSFC prior to their budget decision, while CFACT was not granted the same privilege.

Additionally, CFACT claimed there were several unfair actions taken in SSFC’s decision, including a misinterpretation of the content of CFACT’s campaigns — which were presented as the direct service to qualify the organization for funding eligibility — and clerical negligence in the form of misplacing eligibility documents turned in by the student organization.

Student Judiacy ruled Szarzynski did not violate viewpoint neutrality and SSFC did not violate any ASM bylaws regarding lobbying with WISPIRG. The court also found no evidence regarding SSFC’s clerical negligence, stating it is the responsibility of the organization to ensure an application turned into SSFC is complete.

“If the Student Judiciary had [ruled] in favor of CFACT, remedy could include a reversal of SSFC’s decision and remand back to SSFC for a new eligibility hearing,” Student Judiciary Chief Justice Shaun Hernandez said. “SJ does not ordinarily directly grant eligibility.”

Despite the organization’s setback, CFACT still plans to remain present on the University of Wisconsin on campus.

“We are displeased with the Student Judiciary’s ruling to dismiss our complaint,” Paris Glazer, CFACT treasurer, said. “Nevertheless, we will work to ensure that CFACT remains present on campus. Presently we are assessing our options.”