Supporters of a University of Wisconsin American Indian student group congregated at the Student Services Finance Committee meeting Monday to appeal a previous budget decision.
Last Thursday, SSFC voted to minimally fund Wunk Sheek, which serves to spread awareness and support for the American Indian community.
According to SSFC policy, organizations seeking funding must meet with professional financial staff prior to submitting a budget.
After granting Wunk Sheek eligibility, allowing its budget to be reviewed, SSFC decided to reduce the group's requested $94,000 budget and minimally fund them with the uniform $4,750. SSFC Vice Chair Kellie Sanders said the committee took such action because Wunk Sheek violated the SSFC professional financial staff policy.
"I think it's a sensitive issue; it should probably be reconsidered," SSFC representative Alex Gallagher said. "I think the committee should discuss whether the actions of the committee represent the mis-action of [Wunk Sheek]."
SSFC representative Sree Atluru said the condition of minimally funding the organization is a matter of interpretation of SSFC bylaws, which trump any SSFC policy.
MultiCultural Student Coalition executive staff member Katrina Flores spoke in opposition to SSFC's decision to minimally fund Wunk Sheek.
"It's imperative that this organization be funded to allow for its services to exist, and for the campus community to gain the insight it has for the last few years," Flores said.
According to Wunk Sheek Student Financial Specialist Martin Salas, the organization admits fault but is seeking a second chance.
Wunk Sheek officer Allison Bowman fought back tears when she explained her frustration with the SSFC regulation she called "trivial," which resulted in granting the organization only 5 percent of its requested funds.
Following allegations of Wunk Sheek lacking integrity, they requested SSFC reconsider the group's budget.
"Being minimally funded seriously reduces the services that Wunk Sheek can provide," Salas said. "A higher level of integrity could be reached if we had the ability to provide our service to all of the students."
A series of miscommunications via e-mail and confusion over SSFC policy were a large portion of the issue at hand, according to SSFC Chair Zach Frey.
Frey said he is in favor of carefully examining the decision to minimally fund the organization.
When asked about Wunk Sheek's future actions, Salas pledged a steadfast strategy toward overturning SSFC's minimal funding decision.
"Our planned action is to keep appealing until there is no longer the choice to appeal," Salas said.
Reduced funding for Wunk Sheek events and full-time employees will create a "severe and detrimental" effect on the education of the student body, Salas added.
Arvina Martin, who works in the UW Office of Admissions, said university demographics would also be negatively affected by SSFC's decision.
"Especially with the chancellor's [diversity] plan for 2008, we need to keep this service on the campus and keep these students on our campus," Martin said.
SSFC also heard budget proposals from El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, which educates the community on Chicano culture. The organization requested $63,319. The Jewish Cultural Collective, which plans campus-wide arts and culture events, pitched their budget request of $157,669.
As of press time, no decision was met on Campus Women's Center's $83,845 request or the Asian Pacific American Council's $217,998 request.
