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The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

The Student News Site of University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Badger Herald

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Council passes new funding for student groups

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Representatives debated an item of the ASM internal budget for a United States Student Association membership for over an hour. It was previously cut in committee.[/media-credit]

The University of Wisconsin’s student government approved a budget that would allow the General Student Services Fund and Campus Services Process to provide financial support for student groups, and also approved funding membership to a national student association should a referendum on the spring ballots show support for the measure.

The Associated Students of Madison approved the Campus Services Process, which allows for Student Council and the Student Services Finance Committee to identify services that are most valuable to students and the campus and to provide a new funding stream that is not bound by viewpoint neutral guidelines.

Aaron Spooner, a member of the Greater University Tutoring Service, told representatives during open forum that he believed the process is critically important to UW. According to Spooner, student organizations on campus would continue to undergo current budget and review processes, but representatives would be able to exercise the power to protect student organizations from failing due to simple violations of ASM bylaws.

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Student Services Finance Committee Chair Sarah Neibart also presented the General Student Services Fund budget to council, highlighting the organizations’ efforts to adhere to budget processes and encouraging council members to recognize that with the approval of the budget.

Council members also approved all of ASM’s internal budgets.

Referring to the proceedings undergone with the Multicultural Student Coalition, Neibart further emphasized decisions are to be made with viewpoint neutrality in response to questions from council.

“I cannot tell these organizations in good conscience that I’m going to vote down their budgets because a certain organization is not included in the budget,” Rep. Maria Giannopoulos said.

All General Student Services Fund organizations’ individual budgets were approved in coordination with the passing of the general GSSF budget.

Student Council also approved internal budgets for SSFC and Student Judiciary, with an increase in the salary for the judiciary’s outreach coordinator position. Budget decisions for the Student Activity Center Board were postponed until the next Student Council meeting.

The ASM internal budget became a catalyst for heated debate. The Student Services Finance Committee defunded a membership to the United States Student Association, with some members saying the organization provides little service to students on the UW campus.

“I think there’s a difference between two [ASM members] going and saying, ‘Hi, we go to UW Madison’ and a USSA representative saying ‘I represent students across the country,'” ASM Chair Allie Gardner said.

Gardner motioned to overturn SSFC’s decision and fund the organization membership of $10,000. In approval of this amendment, a clause was also added to bring the decision of USSA membership to a referendum in this year’s spring ASM elections. 

The motion passed by a vote of 14-6 to fund the membership, pending the vote from students. A meeting will be held to discuss the referendum with all related decisions made by Feb. 24.

Prior to budget decisions, UW sophomore Sam Seering told the council the ASM Constitutional Committee formed and created a proposed constitution, without the knowledge of Student Council, but has presented a document open to the suggestions of students and ASM members. The document will be up for ratification by ASM Feb. 29.

“I believe we took the correct path in creating a document in secret to present, to give people something to talk about rather than abstract ideas,” Seering said.

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