The Student Services Finance Committee met Wednesday to make budget decisions for the Child Care Tuition Assistance Program and fund the ASM Bus Pass Program for the 2002-03 school year.

CCTAP provides student parents with stipends that assist them in paying for childcare. SSFC voted unanimously to award the group’s entire budget request of $660,160.

SSFC member and CCTAP representative Katie Aulwes said she was pleased with the decision, as well as how this will affect the program.

“I’m really happy,” Aulwes said. “This program grows every year. Now they’ll be getting money to implement an evening program for student-parents, and there will also be money for care for children who are sick.”

With this budget decision, the average financial award will also increase from $820 to $850.

SSFC also unanimously approved the ASM bus pass program’s entire proposed budget request of $1,648,500. Of this money, $197,300 will be used for the L-line, which is the campus’ free bus line. $1,383,000 of the money is earmarked for the UW-Madison-Madison Metro contract.

ASM bus pass program Coordinator Margaret Bergamini said this should help improve bus service for students.

“Last semester was a record-breaking semester for us. Over 27,000 students picked up their free bus passes, and it looks like student rider-ship on Metro lines for 2001 will set a record,” she said.

Bergamini said one of the biggest problems facing the bus pass program was the overcrowded L-line bus service and that the new budget would help alleviate problems.

“Probably the most significant feature of this budget that was approved tonight is that it gives us room to either add or re-align service on the L-line to solve issues of overcrowding,” Bergamini said.

In other business, sex-education group Sex Out Loud requested a budget alteration, asking to transfer money earmarked for rent to other necessary areas, including advertising, telephone, and program supplies. SSFC granted this request.