After some deliberation, the University of Wisconsin Student Service Finance Committee approved budgets for two student organizations Monday.
SSFC members engaged in extensive debate regarding their support of funding for Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow to bring broadcast journalist John Stossel to campus next year. CFACT is a conservative student organization that advocates for the environment.
SSFC representative Michael Kelly proposed an amendment that would cut funding for the main speaker event by about 80 percent. Many representatives felt that the proposed budget of $25,000 was an excessive amount to fund one speaker at one event.
And SSFC representative David Lapidus said he could think of more cost-effective ways of spreading the organization's mission on campus.
SSFC representative Andreall Moore compared the cost of the speaker and the impact that person would have on campus to the impact of other organizations' guest speakers.
"Other organizations have gotten way more bang for their buck," Moore said.
Some members of the SSFC disagreed with the cut, though. SSFC Vice Chair Kellie Sanders said she felt the cut would be "detrimental" to the organization.
After finalizing the decision to cut funding for the high-profile speaker by $12,500 and reaching budgetary compromises on several other amendments, SSFC approved a budget of $196,566 for CFACT.
SSFC also handed down the budget decision for the Greater University Tutoring Service, a program that provides UW students with free tutoring and is largely supported by volunteers, with little debate.
Following minor amendments, SSFC approved a budget of $128,904 for GUTS.
SSFC Secretary Jackie Goessl said the GUTS budget was well put together.
"I think that the GUTS budget is really responsible," she said. "I didn't really find anything wrong with it."
The committee also heard a budget proposal from Wunk Sheek, a Native American student organization on campus. A budget decision for Wunk Sheek will be made at Thursday's meeting. The SSFC was scheduled to swear in four new members on Monday, but was forced to delay the action after SLAC filed a lawsuit calling for the most recent ASM elections to be voided.
