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Don’t gotta fight for the right

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Also by Badger Herald Editorial Board:

A security fee-for-all (December 11, 2007)
Farewell, Chancellor (December 10, 2007)
$$FC (December 6, 2007)
In a bind (December 5, 2007)
Entitlement Town (December 4, 2007)

by Badger Herald Editorial Board

Monday, December 11, 2006

The Student Rights Coalition published a column Tuesday expressing their distaste for a recent decision by University of Wisconsin Chancellor John Wiley. The group criticized Mr. Wiley for enforcing an order by the Board of Regents to disallow the use of student-segregated fees to fund off-campus facilities for student organizations.

In 2004, student groups and the Student Services Finance Committee were warned about losing funding for off-campus rent, and the administration granted a temporary exemption to the rule to allow for their relocation. The exemption expired this year, but SSFC approved six budgets earlier this semester including allotments for accommodations outside UW. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Wiley forced the committee to reconsider.

SRC claims the chancellor is infringing on students' rights by asking the committee to slash those groups' rent allocations. According to the column, Wisconsin and UW System statutes do not, in fact, dictate that student groups cannot maintain facilities independent of UW. Furthermore, they contend the administration is violating the state Constitution's shared governance doctrine by executing the ultimate say over student groups' budgets.

SRC also goes on to say the administration is effecting "arbitrary discrimination" and violating viewpoint neutrality by zero-funding just the groups who were up for budget reconsideration this year.

While we agree it is unfortunate that several student groups might end up homeless or displaced by the funding snafu, we find SRC's objective inappropriate and its listed rationale confused and unsound.

The fact that UW facilities may not have the capacity to house all student groups is a valid concern, but the underlying policy decision by the administration is logical. The regents are right; organizations funded by student dollars should be putting money back into the university and be readily available on campus. What's more, university accommodations are much thriftier than their downtown Madison equivalents.

Additionally, shared governance is just that — shared. UW students have great influence over the distribution of student groups' funds, but in the end, the final decision lies with the chancellor and the Board of Regents. As evidenced by the outcome of this semester's Associated Students of Madison elections, students don't always make recommendations that fall in line with regulations — or plain feasibility — and, on occasion, a higher power must put them in check.

Finally, the notion that viewpoint neutrality was somehow violated in this case is patently absurd. It's true only some groups were up for budget reconsideration this year, and it's true just those groups were affected by the decision so far. But considering the affected groups include the UW Roman Catholic Foundation, the Jewish Cultural Collective and Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow, it seems the decision has affected a wide range of student groups, regardless of their affiliation or objective, and viewpoint neutrality had nothing to do with it.

In the end, the Student Rights Coalition should focus on something more constructive than attacking the chancellor and the Board of Regents with sweeping accusations and little organization. SRC should look to prove conclusively that UW cannot provide accommodations for the groups affected and use that information to rally for a further extension of the original exemption.

After all, the segregated-fee-funded Student Activity Center is just a few short years away from completion.

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Anonymous (December 11, 2006 @ 10:42am):

First off the idea that it would be "thriftier" to stay on campus is just plan wrong. They space that has been available in the past was much more expensive, because there isn't much available, and it's a great location, such as the Union and red gym. Especially if you go to only on-campus space, their is no one it remains "thriftier", the UW would have a monopoly.

Second, and this has always been SRC's issue. If the stduents want to cut outside rent, that is ok(and we can work with the university on it), but to be told to cut the rent, with no legal backing, is wrong. This is our only say on campus, we should be included in the process