The Associated Students of Madison Student Council approved the budget for Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow and announced reaching an agreement with University of Wisconsin Transportation Services regarding SAFE Nighttime Services Wednesday.
However, the Council did not reach a final decision on the UW Roman Catholic Foundation budget, and tabled discussion until its next meeting.
In regards to SAFE Nighttime Services, ASM agreed to pay all of the operating costs of the SAFEride cab program — totaling more than $137,000 — while UW Transportation Services reportedly agreed to continue providing administrative support.
UW Transportation Services also reportedly agreed to undertake the entire cost of running the SAFEwalk program, with no cost to ASM.
According to Student Council representatives, the announced deal guarantees the continued service of both SAFEride cab and SAFEwalk through the upcoming fiscal year.
Student Services Finance Committee Vice Chair Eric Saar, who helped negotiate the current deal with UW Transportation Services Director Lance Lunsway, said the deal was a beginning step.
"There's a lot of work left to be done, like getting a contract with them," Saar said. "But this is a good compromise, and it ensures we have SAFE cab next year."
ASM and UW Transportation Services also agreed to continue splitting costs for the SAFE bus program.
After announcing the deal, the Student Council approved the SAFE Nighttime Services total budget at $329,000.
ASM also allocated more than $198,000 to CFACT, ending a budgetary fiasco that began last semester when SSFC initially minimally-funded the group.
The Council made more than $97,000 in cuts from the proposed CFACT budget, but after the final budget decision was made, CFACT representative Peter McCabe said he felt "incredible."
"We got the budget we were expecting," McCabe said, and added the Council made "legitimate" cuts to the budget. "In the end, when people communicate, the process can work," he said.
Proposed funding for event speakers was the most expensive cut, which totaled more than $90,000.
Student Council members believed they left CFACT with enough funds for the organization to continue the growth it has experienced over the past year, but not more than the organization could handle.
"The growth this organization is having is incredibly clear," SSFC representative Adam Schlicht said. "But, I don't feel they have demonstrated to me yet that the organization is capable of having all these events [proposed in the original budget]."
The Council, however, decided to not finish the budgetary decision for UWRCF during Wednesday's meeting.
After UWRCF representatives provided additional information during the meeting, Student Council members voted to table discussion, saying they wanted to have more time to look over the budget.
UWRCF representatives said they were disappointed with the decision, and believed it was an attempt by SSFC representatives to find ways to "slash" their budget before the next meeting.
"[SSFC representatives] want to put a plan together to put the screws to us," UWRCF representative Tim Kruse said after the meeting. "They want to plan to assassinate our budget."
ASM Student Council will continue discussion at its next meeting Feb. 15.
