A committee of University of Wisconsin’s student government approved the 2015-16 budgets for The Child Care Tuition Assistance Program and WSUM, UW’s student radio station at a Thursday meeting.
The Student Services Finance Committee approved CCTAP’s 2015-16 proposed budget of $1,058,643 with a vote of 8-1-1. However, the committee made a recommendation to Chancellor Rebecca Blank to add $23,000 to their general grant line, a fund that helps student parents afford quality child care. This would increase the general grant to $806,000.
CCTAP helps low-income student-parents at UW receive financial assistance for child care while they are studying or working outside their homes.
CCTAP’s proposed budget is a 2 percent decrease from the 2014-15 budget of $1,075,100 because a one-time technology cost has been zeroed. The proposed budget did not include an increase in the general grant line, which SSFC members agreed should be added.
SSFC Rep. Erin Harper first proposed to make a recommendation to Blank to increase the general grant line. Because the proposed budget is 2 percent decrease, adding to the general grant line is holding the budget flat, she said.
“[CCTAP] has held their grant steady for the past two years,” Harper said. “If you account for inflation, it should be increased. They had eight people on a waitlist last year because of not enough funding and, to me, that shouldn’t happen if we have the ability to increase the funding.”
CCTAP director Lynn Edlefson said increasing the general grant would increase the number of student-parents they would be able to provide quality child care with.
SSFC Secretary Hoyon Mephokee agreed that CCTAP was an important service because it increases student’s chances of graduating.
“If we can increase this line item and allow the service to help more people, then it’s our responsibility,” Mephokee said.
SSFC approved WSUM’s 2015-16 proposed budget of $380,172.92 with a vote of 8-0-2.
Because WSUM receives revenue through additional sources, SSFC Rep. Jessica Franco-Morales said she was concerned it would come into conflict with using segregated fees.
SSFC Chair Devon Maier said revenue is “wholly separate” and there was no cross-conflict because it was a “separate body that works in tandem.”
WSUM’s 2015-16 budget included a student wage increase to $10.50 an hour. SSFC passed a wage increase to $9.69 an hour for GSSF groups for the next fiscal year.
SSFC Vice Chair Thuy Pham questioned whether it was fair to allow WSUM to receive a higher wage increase than other GSSF groups.
WSUM is not a GSSF group and Rep. James Ng said, “My understanding is that we edited a policy that specifically applied to GSSF groups. I would be comfortable with our recommendations to the Chancellor showing that we think students should be paid a higher wage.”
SSFC members ultimately approved the wage increase.
SSFC’s next meeting will be Monday.
