At a meeting Thursday evening, the Associated Students of Madison Student Services Finance committee unanimously passed Sex Out Loud’s budget for this year and heard an eligibility presentation from Badger Catholic.
Sex Out Loud Budget Decision
SSFC unanimously approved a revised Sex Out Loud budget of $97,489, instead of the proposed $99,989 Thursday.
SSFC Secretary Brett Ducharme said he was concerned with the “supplies” line of the Sex Out Loud budget because of how high it seemed compared to what the group spent last year. He proposed an amendment to reduce it from $18,500 to $15,000. He also brought up whether supplying condoms should be of concern to SSFC.
“There are other suppliers out there,” Ducharme said. “There’s UHS [University Health Services] and stores … We don’t buy pillows for student orgs and we don’t buy pillows for all students on campus. There are pillows clinically proven to help people and improve their health overall.”
Ducharme said he worried the committee doesn’t supply other items to improve health on campus, so the group should not be a large provider of condoms.
Rep. Andy Stoiber said he thought Sex Out Loud should be providing condoms.
“It is well in their mission to be providing condoms. If a student org’s mission was to provide students with sleeping health, then I think it might be feasible that they provide pillows then,” Stoiber said.
After some debate, Rep. Erin Harper amended the motion to decrease the “supplies” line to $16,000. This amendment passed with a 10-1 vote.
The final budget was then passed unanimously.
SSFC hears Badger Catholic’s budget proposal
Amanda Recktenwald, the president of Badger Catholic and Peter Cooney, the vice president, proposed a 2015-2016 budget of $90,890.75.
Last year the group requested $89,777 and returned, or did not spend, $11,170 of it.
Recktenwald said the organization’s mission statement is to help students “lead deeper lives” through its services and events.
Badger Catholic has two core programs. The first is one-on-one faith advising with peer mentors, the second is local and national service opportunities.
Recktenwald said the organization has other programs that need funding throughout the year including kickoff events, a general speaker series with two to three well-known speakers during the year and Alpha Omega local speakers once a month.
Cooney said Badger Catholic is funding new events this year. “Fides et ration,” which hosts speakers on faith and reason, has $350 allocated for it. “Vita pura,” which explores religion and conservation, has $150 budgeted.
The SSFC will make a decision on this budget proposal Monday.
Nominations for Subcommittee “Recreational Sports Master Plan committee”
SSFC Rep. Cheyenne Langkamp accepted a nomination from Stoiber to head a new subcommittee responsible for giving recommendations on the Recreational Sports Master Plan project’s $223 million budget.
According to an email from Ducharme, the committee gives student input on the Rec Sports Master Plan to increase transparency.
