Toddlers and infants ran the show Wednesday night at the Student Segregated Finance Committee meeting.

Committee members heard several polite and carefully worded arguments, with the occasional high-pitched shriek in favor of the University of Wisconsin’s Child Care Tuition Assistance Program, the program, which gives daycare and health assistance to student parents.

“Every little bit of assistance effects more than that parent’s life,” said David Kirkpatrick, a father of two. “My wife works part-time, and that helps out a lot. But it’s still very difficult to scrape by.”

Vikki Bomben, of the Campus Women’s’ Center also spoke in favor of the program. “There is an incredible need for student parents on campus. There’s women with no place to breastfeed,” Bomben said. “I don’t know the details of their budget, but I’m in support of it.”

The groups received few questions from the committee, one coming from coming from Rep. Tom Clark who wondered out loud why the university did not pick up some of the group’s cost.

“Its always been funded by student government,” said the group’s representative. “I’m not at the level where I can say, ‘Here’s what the university does or doesn’t do.'”

SSFC will make a final decision regarding CCTAP next week.

The meeting concluded with a presentation by Associated Students of Madison chair Brian Gadow addressing the ASM internal budget for the new semester.

“This is a lean and mean budget,” said Gadow, citing a decrease of over $25,000.

Upon further review, the SSFC wondered if even more cuts were possible.

“Are two financial specialists necessary?” asked Clark at one point.

Rep. Rob Welygan vehemently assured him they were.

“There’s an extensive list of things they do,” he said.