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The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

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SSFC passes 2 proposals

The Student Services Finance Committee passed the 2005-06 budgets for the University of Wisconsin Recreational Sports program and the Wisconsin Union.

Both budgets passed by the committee without any changes.

UW Recreational Sports received $1.8 million. Part of the funding will go toward hiring a consultant to figure out what improvements and changes can be made in the future to better accommodate students at two major recreational facilities on campus — the Nat and the SERF.

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"If we take this step, I think it will be a step forward for the Nat and the SERF," SSFC member Michael Puerner said.

SSFC Vice-Chair Kevin Otten debated the issue and expressed concern over the amount of money at hand.

"It seems like a lot of money is being moved around without any new service offered to the students," Otten said.

Other committee members were equally apprehensive about the budget proposal and voiced their concerns during the meeting.

"There are a lot of significant factors involved in this. The students who will be paying for [the consultant] now will not be benefited directly," SSFC member Erica Christensen said.

Committee member Eric Saar agreed with Puerner's comments while disputing Otten's initial concern over the amount of money to be allocated.

"It is a study to see what can be improved in these facilities," Saar said. "It may seem like a lot of money, but down the line they will just have to update anyway."

The majority vote passed the proposed budget on to Chancellor John Wiley without any recommended cuts or increases.

The committee also debated the budget plan for the Wisconsin Union, which encompasses programs such as Hoofers and the Directorate Theater.

Committee members were confused why the Wisconsin Union requested $6.7 million, an increase of $230,000 from last year's request.

The Wisconsin Union has no plans to add staff to the budget, but had instead incorrectly configured last year's budget. The 2004-05 budget had not encompassed the budget proposals and needs of both the Wisconsin Union Directorate and Hoofers.

These two programs are now under the operating budget of 2005-06 and account for the increased proposal numbers.

The meeting was the SSFC's last regularly scheduled budgetary meeting.

"I think, from the perspective of the organizations, this is one of the best groups yet," SSFC Chair Janell Wise said. "The debates have been thoughtful and respectful with everybody willing to work together. I think it went smoothly."

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