In a tight 4-5-1 decision Monday, the Student Services Finance Committee ruled a student veterans' organization ineligible for segregated fee funding.

Vets for Vets, which provides information on benefit eligibility for student veterans, will lose future student funding because, in the opinion of the majority, they are not accessible to the entire student body. Their decision can be appealed.

"It's not that they aren't offering a unique service," said SSFC member David Lapidus, who voted against the group.

Lapidus also said he voted against the group because of accessibility. If a University of Wisconsin student does not participate in Vets for Vets, Lapidus explained, he or she will not receive any benefits. In other words, they are not adequately accessible for all students.

Meanwhile, committee member Kellie Sanders said she does favor of granting eligibility to the group, largely based on its services for students facing tough choices.

"Making the decision to enter the armed forces is probably very hard," she said. "And this organization helps them make that decision."

Vets for Vets treasurer Liz O'Herrin declined comment Monday night after being informed of the decision in a phone interview with The Badger Herald.

While SSFC denied eligibility to one student group Monday, it did approve Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment, a student organization that advocates against sexual violence.

Chi Omega sorority member Rachel Genich spoke on behalf of PAVE and cited the positive benefits the organization provides to the UW campus.

"Throughout my four years they have been a lot of help with sexual assault awareness and sexual consent," she said. "They have done workshops; we have attended seminars; and they have come into our house and talked about consent."

The committee granted eligibility to continue funding PAVE by a unanimous vote, as committee members deemed it qualified based on its unique approach to a multifaceted issue.

"Being a female on this campus, you need to have a heightened sense of awareness," Genich said. "It is a great program. I'm very thankful that they exist."

In the latest religious controversy, SSFC denied eligibility to the Calvary Lutheran Chapel last Thursday and followed up Monday with a letter detailing the logic behind their decision.

SSFC members reiterated they denied eligibility to the group because it is not a registered service organization, providing a unique educational benefit or a specific identifiable service or accessible to the entire student body.

"Because you had to go through Lutheran Student Fellowship to become a voting member, it makes it only open to a specific niche of campus," Lapidus said.

SSFC Chair Zach Frey also took time to clear up any questions about why certain groups were still receiving funding despite failing to meet the new criteria of being officially registered.

"The criteria that the organizations have to be registered is new," he explained. "There has been some confusion because the eligibility process is good for two years, so they could be receiving funding this year but will have to apply again next year."