Two organizations, the Diversity Education Program and Sex Out Loud, presented their 2005-06 budgets to the Student Services Finance Committee in a meeting Monday night.
DEP requested $416,352 to fund its campus services, up nearly $54,000 from its 2004-05 allocated budget.
DEP is an organization developed by the Multi-Cultural Student Coalition to coordinate student and staff efforts to help improve climate and diversity issues on campus, DEP diversity education coordinator Lamont Smith said.
The DEP budget decreased in computers, office supplies, telephones and printing. It increased significantly, approximately 122 percent, in programming, Smith stated during DEP’s hearing.
Sex Out Loud requested nearly $57,000, up more than $8,700 from the amount allocated one year ago.
Sex Out Loud, through campus programs and outreach, advocates safe sex and facilitates conversation regarding sexual topics to University of Wisconsin students, according to outreach coordinator Melissa Lo.
During its budget hearing, Sex Out Loud presenters said they looked internally at problems they had in the past.
“We recognized our mistakes and are looking to improve upon them,” Lo said.
No budgetary decisions were made during Monday’s meeting because of an altered schedule due to MCSC’s extended decision debate, according to SSFC chair Janell Wise.
MCSC was allocated $423,502 in an Oct. 1 meeting after a lengthy debate period that spanned two meetings. The budget was approved after SSFC cut about $58,800.
During open forum, Bernice Durand, associate vice chancellor for diversity and climate, spoke in favor of DEP.
Durand said the UW campus cannot improve diversity without improving climate, which is improved by mentoring and diversity education that DEP helps to provide.
Steve Crosby, Adventure Learning Program advisor, also spoke in favor of DEP.
Crosby said DEP is similar to ALPS because it is an organization that both works with students and is funded by them, but is run by a professional staff.
“This puts them in a unique position. These folks need a great deal of support,” Crosby said. “The work they are doing is tremendous and I would like to see support from SSFC.”
A small number of students also spoke on behalf of Sex Out Loud during open forum.
Monday’s meeting concluded following a brief debate, which resulted in a unanimous vote to accept attachments to the Jewish Cultural Collective budget turned in after SSFC’s deadline.
