Student Services Finance Committee approved of Live Free’s eligibility after little debate, before listening and considering Veterans, Educators and Traditional Students and Wunk Sheek’s eligibility.

Live Free eligibility approval

After presenting to SSFC during Monday’s meeting, Live Free’s eligibility was approved almost immediately with little discussion.

SSFC considers eligibility for campus recovery group

Quickly reviewing SSFC’s eligibility requirements, Rep. Todd Garon said he believed Live Free met SSFC’s General Student Services Fund requirements.

SSFC Vice Chair Brett DuCharme said Live Free definitely provides a market full of ideas that SSFC is looking for.

The entire committee voted in favor of approving Live Free’s eligibility.

Veterans, Educators and Traditional Students eligibility hearing

Once SSFC approved of Live Free’s eligibility, SSFC considered Veterans, Educators and Traditional Students’ eligibility as a GSSF organization.

President of VETS James O’Rourke was stationed in Iraq for six years and is now a senior at the University of Wisconsin.

VETS is the UW chapter of Student Vets of America and has been a chapter on campus for the past 43 years, making UW’s VETS chapter the second oldest in the country, O’Rourke said.

VETS’ primary goal is to educate students about veterans and provide a support network for men and women veterans on campus, O’Rourke said.

But VETS is also open to traditional students as well, and outreach efforts recruit traditional students to bridge a connection between veterans and other students on campus, he said.

DuCharme asked O’Rourke to elaborate on some of their research projects they provide.

O’Rourke said there are certain ailments that are more prevalent in veterans than traditional students so they provide scientific research subjects to help them with these problems.

Representatives asked few questions about VETS catering to all students, in which VETS further elaborated on their outreach to all types of students including international students.  

SSFC will make a decision on VETS’ eligibility at their Monday meeting.

Wunk Sheek Eligibility Hearing

Finally, SSFC listened to Wunk Sheek, a student organization that seeks to educate students about Native American culture, to consider their eligibility.

Emily Nelis, Wunk Sheek president, described the programs Wunk Sheek offers, noting specifically their Native November workshops.

Native November is a series of workshops offered throughout the month of November that provides education about Native American culture, Nelis said.

Wunk Sheek, Nelis said, is also beneficial to the Native American studies department on campus. The department tends to lean on Wunk Sheek for support services for their students.

Wunk Sheek member Tim Annis also spoke in front of SSFC. Annis said Wunk Sheek provides the perfect opportunity to educate students about Native American culture.

SSFC Rep. Kyle Watter asked about Wunk Sheek’s powwow they hold in the spring, curious about the makeup of students and non-students that attend.

Nelis said it is a very large scale event that brings in people from all over the community, including dancers and speakers.  

Garon asked why the group was seeking funding, to which Nelis responded Wunk Sheek is in search of funds to help increase funding for their programming.

SSFC meets next week Monday to consider VETS’ and Wunk Sheek’s eligibility.