The Student Services Finance Committee cut more than half of the University of Wisconsin Roman Catholic Foundation’s budget request during a meeting Monday night. SSFC also heard the budget requests of the Greater University Tutoring Service and the Polygon Engineering Student Council, and both are scheduled to be decided on during the committee’s Thursday hearing.
After much debate among SSFC representatives and waiting over the weekend for the final vote on the budget, the committee approved of a total allocation cut of $55,607 to the Roman Catholic Foundation, lowering allocation to $42,610. The foundation, which is located in Saint Paul’s Catholic Center on Library Mall, requested $89,179, up from their allocation last year of $42,160. However, the foundation requested the larger amount of $170,203 during last year’s allocation hearings.
SSFC cut $2,093 from the foundation’s request for computer help-desk employee salaries. In addition, SSFC cut $34,427.03 from the rent-line item in the budget, made a $2,960.10 reduction to eliminate a student-event coordinator position and dropped $3,000 asked for two laptops.
“[My prior voting record shows that I am] not in favor of giving laptops,” Kevin Otten, SSFC member, said.
Polygon’s group requested a modest 5.9 percent increase of about $400. SSFC heard the engineering group’s request of $7,200. Polygon said its two main goals were to serve as an umbrella group for the 50 student engineering organizations on campus and to host several events with a similar focus. The group decided to not ask for funds going toward its annual “Battle of the Bands,” an issue of much contention last year.
GUTS had four main components to its budget request, including the expansion of the study skills and conversational English programs, the creation of two senior coordinator roles and the addition of funding to cover overhead costs. The group’s total request amount was not available at press time.
Last night’s decision increased the total amount allocated to student organizations this year by SSFC to more than $1,193,000. This is more than a 4 percent increase of the amount given to the same groups approved for funding last year by the student governing body. Last year’s amount for the organizations, more than $1,144,000, has swelled by nearly $50,000, and budget hearings are planned to run through November.
–Matthew Dolbey contributed to this article