The Student Services Finance Committee approved funding proposals from two prominent student organizations Sept. 12.
After listening to presentations from members of Adventure Learning Programs and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Campus Center for eligibility to receive student segregated-fee funding last week, SSFC Representatives voted in favor of granting the two groups Section V funding — taken from a special fee attached to UW student tuition.
SSFC representatives were assured that both organizations fulfilled the committee's 13 criteria for qualifying for student funding — which, among others, mandates that the groups be inclusive to all UW students and provide a unique, necessary service to the UW campus — and were confident both groups will use their funding appropriately.
"Initially we had some concerns," SSFC Representative Adam Schlicht said after the meeting. "But I felt both groups answered all our questions effectively."
Their proposals now move to budget hearings, where SSFC Representatives will determine how much funding the organizations will receive.
Members of ALPS were pleased with the outcome and optimistic their funding request will be approved by the committee during their hearing in two weeks.
"After a lot of debate, I think the committee was confident that we were fiscally responsible," ALPS member Anders Brown said after leaving the hearing.
Fellow ALPS member Maureen Bean agreed with Brown.
"[W]e're not asking for a huge increase," Bean added.
Members of the LGBTCC were not present for comment, but are expected to attend their budget hearing in two weeks.
The SSFC also heard funding proposals from four other organizations during Monday's meeting.
The committee agreed to discuss and vote on proposals from the Campus Women's Center, the Rape Crisis Center and Polygon — an engineering student organization.
The committee, however, rejected a proposal from the Legal Information Center, leading "shocked" LIC members to confront many SSFC representatives during and after the meeting.
"I was surprised by their decision," LIC Director Angela Thundercloud said after the committee voted 10-4 not to hear her organization's proposal. "I was under the impression it wasn't going to be a big deal and I was surprised at how heated it got."
SSFC members cited the organization's late application as a sign the LIC did not respect the privilege of student funding.
"We have a responsibility to ethically allocate these student fees," SSFC Representative Barbara Kiernoziak said during committee debate on the issue. "This is a sign of disrespect to the process and the students who pay for [the LIC] organization to exist."
LIC members promised to request a motion to reconsider the application.
Despite the intense debates, SSFC representatives said they left Monday's meeting feeling good about their work, and looked forward to hearing more proposals from student organizations later this week.
"It was good overall," SSFC Representative Brad Vogel said after the meeting. Most representatives echoed Vogel's sentiments.