The SAFEwalk budget was essentially cut in half following a compromise reached by the Student Services Finance Committee Thursday evening.
After lengthy debate on the cost and benefits of the $60,000 program, many SSFC representatives concluded the services SAFEwalk provides are at too high of a cost to students, since funding is derived from student segregated fees, part of UW students' tuition.
The exact amount of the decrease was determined by SSFC representatives by agreeing to fund only half the amount of hours SAFEwalkers reported working last year, hoping the reduction will lead to fewer "unnecessary" SAFEwalkers working.
"They don't need eight walkers on duty," SSFC representative Barbara Kiernoziak said, referring to the number of walkers SAFE reported to be on duty on an average night. "This addresses the problem we're dealing with of SAFEwalk not being utilized."
In previous debates, many SSFC representatives believed SAFEwalk was receiving too much funding in proportion to the number of students using it.
While the decision's consequences on the University of Wisconsin campus are yet to be seen, both SAFE Nighttime Services and UW Transportation Services representatives warned the cut in funding will significantly affect campus safety and the total number of services SAFE can provide.
"There's going to be a decrease in safety services," coordinator of SAFE Nighttime Services Jacob Hahn said following the decision. "This committee proved it's not their goal to be safety conscious."
In a letter presented to the committee, UW Transportation Services Director Lance Lunsway threatened to continue funding the SAFEwalk program as it is by taking away funding from other SAFE programs, such as SAFEride bus and cab.
"We're simply letting [SSFC representatives] know how we'll interpret and respond to [their] motions on the table," UW Transportation Services Representative Gordon Graham told the committee while presenting Lunsway's letter. "If funding for [SAFEwalk] were reduced, transportation services intends to continue [the] SAFEwalk program by using funds from SAFEride."
The primary concern of UW Transportation Services and SAFE representatives is that SAFEwalk's reduction will lead to an increased demand for SAFEride services, leading to SAFEride's "abuse" by some UW students.
"People who previously wouldn't now use SAFEride would look at it and say, 'Hey, now I can get a free cab. Why not?'" Graham said. "SAFEwalk is for purely safety reasons. SAFEcab is a service of convenience."
In the end, SSFC representatives concluded the compromise was the best the committee could do with such a difficult situation.
"This is where we're supposed to be," SSFC representative Adam Schlicht told the committee after it voted in favor of the amendment. "This service has been preserved in a cost-effective manner with careful consideration."
In other budget decisions, SSFC granted WSUM 91.7 FM — the campus student radio station — its entire requested budget, without cuts.
