The Student Services Finance Committee approved two budgets and heard the proposal for one other in a lengthy meeting Monday night.

SSFC approved the Campus Women’s Center 2005-06 budget at $70,867, about $500 less than the organization’s working budget and almost $4,000 less than the group had requested.

The single biggest cut from CWC’s 2005-06 budget was $1,300 from honoraria for “inter-students” organizational coalition and co-sponsorship. The cut was moderate compared to the original $3,400 proposed cut. SSFC debated at length whether they could allocate money to an organization without specification for the money’s intended purpose.

“Look at what this is going to say about SSFC in the eyes of students,” SSFC member Brad Vogel said. “There should be some sort of specificity about where these funds are going.”

Vogel and other members said they supported the cut also in part because the money could be used to co-sponsor other organizations.

“CWC is not going to randomly give this money to other organizations,” SSFC member Barb Kiernoziak said.

The committee also had extensive debate about CWC allocating money toward condoms. Vogel said he “didn’t find the justification persuasive” to allocate $2,400 for condoms. However, Vogel found much opposition to his proposal.

Members said the CWC’s condom give-a-way basket is frequently empty and it is a service students use.

“I think it’s a strong program and important service provided to campus,” SSFC member Kevin Otten said.

CWC members expressed mild disappointment with the cuts but said it would not significantly affect their organization.

“I feel they were pretty fair,” Jane Benzschawel, the support services coordinator for CWC, said. “It is not going to damage us at all.”

SSFC passed SAFE’s 2005-06 budget with no changes from its request of $305,238, approximately $10,000 more than SAFE’s 2004-05 budget of $295,602.

The committee argued over money allocated to the SAFEride cab service. Some members felt $105,000 was too much to give for the service, especially considering the organization did not spend all the money allocated toward SAFEride cab in 2004-05. SAFE members clarified that when the money allocated for the cab service is gone, the service ends.

“If you want to give constituents what they want, give them the cab,” Janell Wise, SSFC chair, stepping down from her position to speak on the issue, said. “This is something the student body doesn’t mind paying for. Don’t cut something students actually like and enjoy.”

Renee Calloway, Transportation Demand Management program manager for SAFE, said she was pleased with the budget.

“We are very happy to see students are supporting services,” Calloway said. “This shows the student government feels the same way.”

The Tenant Resource Center also presented its 2005-06 budget at the meeting. The organization is requesting $61,183, about $1,500 more than their 2004-05 budget of $59,645.

Jamie Kodner, a campus outreach coordinator for TRC, said the organization’s mission statement is to “promote positive relations between tenants and landlords in Wisconsin by providing access to conflict resolution and education about rental rights and laws.”

The Multicultural Student Coalition asked SSFC to reconsider its allocated 2005-06 budget. They pleaded with the committee not to make any further harmful cuts to a budget they feel has already been sufficiently scrutinized. SSFC will reconsider the coalition’s budget at a later date. Only five SSFC members attended Monday’s meeting who also attended MCSC’s 2005-06 budget proposal.

“It’s not fair to the organization,” SSFC member Nathaniel Greenbaum said. “Leave it to next week for the budget to receive the proper consideration it deserves.”