The University of Wisconsin’s student government held budget hearings and decisions for student organizations Thursday as part of its segregated fee allocation process.
The Student Services Finances Committee convened to hear a budget presentation from the Student Leadership Program and to ultimately approve a budget for the Campus Women’s Center.
After some contention, CWC was granted a budget of $90,464 for next year, ultimately decreasing it’s budget from the previous fiscal year.
CWC proposed a budget, including funds for the purchase of an $848 nursing chair, with a private screen, for new mothers at the CWC office.
Although many SSFC representatives showed uneasiness about the price and necessity of the nursing chair, SSFC Chair Ellie Bruecker explained the proposed chair was roomier with special support for nursing mothers.
SSFC Secretary Jonathan Harris said if members of the committee were uncertain in their decision about the chair, they should abstain from voting, adding determining an accurate price point for the chair is difficult.
“It is not our expertise to say what the price point is,” Harris said.
However, despite debate, in a final proposal, SSFC Rep. Devon Maier proposed to strike $848 from the supplies and furniture funding.
Funding for CWC was approved with funding for the chair at a reduced cost.
The SLP, which also had its budget hearing for the 2014 fiscal year, presented various budget proposals to the committee.
SLP Rep. Troy Pickett opened the presentation with a proposal to decrease the organization’s computers and supplies budget.
Pickett said the only increase in the SLP budget is proposed for the Leadership through Social Justice program, where he requested $1,000 for additional movie licensing to promote better networking for SLP.
This would provide more awareness across campus for the SLP and would increase campus-wide participation in the organization, Pickett said, adding as of now, SLP can afford two informational movies a year with its current budget of $750.
According to Pickett, with a budget of $1,000, SLP will be able to add one more informational movie a year to promote campus-wide leadership. The group also proposed in terms of advertising it would begin to utilize digital advertising, especially social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, to further promote the SLP, Pickett said.
Pickett also proposed an increase in funding of $650 for a newsletter for SLP’s kickoff meeting to expose members to the direct services, adding the mission of the SLP was to inform students what the student leadership program entails.
Katie Schoenbeck of SLP also requested some of the funding go to the All-Campus Leadership Conference.
“The overarching goal of the conference is for anyone on campus to grow in their leadership and to allow students to test the waters if they are interested in leadership,” Schoenbeck said.
The final decision for the requested funding will be made Oct. 29.
Correction: October 30, 2012.
This article erroneously reported the following:
The Campus Women’s Center asked for an increase in funding. Rather, they asked for a decrease.
The CWC asked for a nursing chair for new mothers and the funding for such a request was denied. Rather, the funding was granted, but for less money.
The nursing chair was to be used in the offices of University Health Services. Rather, the chair was to be used in the offices of the CWC.
