Members of a branch of the University of Wisconsin student government voted to increase the University Heath Services’ budget to accommodate mental health service needs on campus in addition to approving two other budgets on Thursday.
Former Student Services Finance Committee Secretary Jair Alvarez voiced concerns in open forum about the limited number of UHS psychologist visits available, saying students are currently able to schedule only one psychologist visit every two months.
Alvarez said students should be allowed at least one psychologist visit per month and added the current state especially impacts students who do not have insurance and whose health care relies on services from UHS.
“It’s our job to fill the voids, … and if us stepping in is helpful, then I think we should do it,” Rep. Tia Nowack said.
The committee ultimately decided to add two full-time mental heath providers to UHS’s proposed budget.
Chair Sarah Neibart said Alvarez is not the only student voicing these concerns, as Associated Students of Madison constituents have also expressed a desire to implement changes that would increase the services provided by UHS.
Following the discussion, Rep. Cale Plamann made a motion to amend UHS’s budget by increasing it by $184,000 to reflect the change, bringing the total to $11,251,950.
Plamann said he was pleased with the transparency in UHS’s budget, stating he could see exactly the amounts and locations of the funding. A majority vote approved the budget.
“We work hard to do the right thing and be good stewards,” UHS Executive Director Sarah Van Orman said. “I’m really impressed with SSFC’s recognition of the need to increase mental health on campus.”
Nowack said SSFC has an open and productive relationship with UHS, and she feels the fact that the committee was able to add items students have expressed a need for is a testament to that.
Both SSFC and UHS now await the chancellor’s final approval for full implementation of the budget amendment.
The committee also approved the budget proposal for the Rape Crisis Center. Plamann said while SSFC cannot file an open records request for more information with the center in order to protect the privacy of those utilizing its services, the group serves an important need in the campus community.
During the meeting, Secretary Ellie Bruecker was nominated to represent SSFC on the center’s board.
Following the approval of Tenant Resource Center’s budget proposal, SSFC nominated Nowack to serve on the Tenant Resource Center Board.
Nowack said it is important for SSFC representatives to serve on the board because of the tenant rights legislation coming up in the state Legislature.
Neibart also said she will meet with UW Vice Chancellor Darrell Bazzell to discuss SSFC’s latest budget recommendations for Wisconsin Union and Recreational Sports following the committee’s recent decision to reject the two organizations’ budget proposals.
SSFC will hear UW’s bus pass proposal and discuss internal subcommittee topics at its next meaning, scheduled for March 9.