University of Wisconsin student government members deliberated a request Monday night by the Multicultural Student Center to alter over $5,000 of the organization’s initial budget, which the Student Services Finance Committee chair ultimately denied.
MCSC representatives said they wanted to move the money from funding direct services for students to provide for traveling expenditures and fees for the organization’s trainers.
SSFC Chair Sarah Neibart said she decided to deny the budget altercation as she read the application because the budget proposal was inconsistent from what the committee had approved the previous fall.
“This is taking money out of a direct service byline which would go against what last year’s SSFC session voted to approve in the budget,” SSFC Vice Chair Chase Wilson said. “And I think it would be put to better use trying to improve direct services.”
MCSC representative Rebecca Pons stated the training was necessary to advance the group’s ability to provide direct services to the Madison area. She added that the organization pushes other diversity groups on campus to improve the campus climate.
“We can’t teach unless we’re learning more,” Pons said. “Our staff are exceptional already, but there’s so much more that can push to going above and beyond.”
MCSC representatives added while services provided for students would not change, they are restructuring the organization and vamping up training efforts in attempts to improve the group in ways that are supplementary to their services.
SSFC and MCSC representatives also clashed on several specific aspects of the organization’s services, such as the differences in programs offered compared to other campus organizations and how many new members the group receives at events.
Many SSFC representatives argued the budget alterations were not necessary. Representative Cale Plamann said since the funds provided are student funds, they should thus be spent reasonably and in the best effort to improve student services.
“We had a rule for every other group except MCSC regarding whether you can take money from a direct service and move it to a non-direct service,” Plamann said. “I don’t think there’s a reason for us fudging this rule other than some of us like this group.”
Plamann added he believed SSFC should look critically upon student organization’s transferring money from direct services to administrative training.
Neibart said a future deliberation will be held on MCSC’s failure to respond to or pay a $77 fine, which the committee debated may be intentional.
Two representatives voted to reconsider the chair’s decision, while MCSC is likely to continue its efforts to restructure their budget. The group is also appealing an Associated Students of Madison judiciary decision over the validity of a budget waiver turned in past deadline.
MCSC representative Althea Miller added the group is crucial towards improving UW’s campus climate and outlooks for diversity.
“When something happens on campus life … we are the first ones to do something about it,” Miller said. “We are just simply creating an atmosphere for students of color to feel welcome.”
During its Thursday meeting, SSFC is expected to take up a possible violation from the religious student organization Badger Catholic.
