The Associated Students of Madison’s Student Services Finance Committee voted against a proposal to recommend the chancellor decrease student segregated fees in the Union South project auxiliary budget.

After much debate, the student government voted against the proposal, maintaining the original budget decision to call for each student to be charged an extra $96 per semester in segregated fees during the years of the new Union South’s construction, beginning in fall 2009.

Currently, UW students are paying $48 extra each semester for the Union South project. The failed proposal called to keep the extra segregated fees per semester at this amount.

“In my opinion, the SSFC should only make recommendations to the chancellor, which will have a useful impact and that will increase our influence in future years, and I did not feel that would have any real impact,” said SSFC representative Tyler Junger.

SSFC Vice Chair Kyle Szarzynski and Badger Herald writer spoke in support for the proposal, saying the original proposal was passed through an undemocratic process.

According to Szarzynski, the original Union South project was only passed by a 6 percent vote and does not accurately represent the thoughts and needs of the students.

“This year, we wanted to recommend we reduce the segregated fee cost from $192 a year to $96 a year until the facility is completed because students should not be paying that much money for something that was voted on in an undemocratic nature,” Szarzynski said.

Szarzynski also said the committee should stand up for its beliefs, regardless of the probability their proposal will be passed by Chancellor Biddy Martin.

“We are saying that the committee should take a stand and uphold student rights for a completely illegitimate budget,” Szarzynski said. “It’s kind of disgraceful that it wasn’t passed and they wouldn’t stick up for it and we will be pursuing other avenues.”

Junger added the committee recommended the union conduct a study of the impact the segregated fee charge will have on students.

If results come back negative, the student government will consider making a referendum to the proposal.

The SSFC also recommended the union provide more specific documents that will help future committees determine whether segregated fees are being spent responsibly.