Student Services Finance Committee held a budget request hearing for the Atheists, Humanists and Agnostic Club Monday.
Gwen Salm, vice president of the AHA said the mission of the club is to encourage an open dialogue about faith and religion on the University of Wisconsin campus.
“[AHA also aims to] educate on secular issues, raise secular awareness, encourage personal development for religious identities and provide space and support for secular students,” Salm said.
AHA president Emily Pyszora and Salm focused their presentation on aspects of their requested budget, including staff salary, technology and apparel and transportation.
Salm and Pyszora said the travel and transportation budget of AHA needs to be increased from $800 to $3000. This increase would fund the attendance of AHA leaders to the Secular Student Alliance Conference that will be held in Los Angeles instead of Ohio, where the conference was held previously.
Salm believes the increased budget is a necessity.
“It helps us learn how to more efficiently run a secular group, we also get ideas from other people in groups across the nation that come,” Salm said.
Rep. Landon Tselepis raised concerns regarding past overspending within certain parts of the club.
Tslepsis said in the 2018 fiscal year, AHA overspent its advertising budget of $3200 dollars by $159 dollars.
Despite the increased transportation budget request and past overspending, the club reduced its overall budget proposal for the 2020 fiscal year.
“Why would you reduce a budget proposal when you’ve been overspending?” Tslepsis asked.
Salm said the club is taking measures to be careful about going over budget.
Multiple AHA members now check advertising budget orders, Salm said. A better ability to allocate funds led to AHA’s decision to request less money.
She also said communication was a key factor in the group’s past money problems.
The club also eliminated the secretary position, and Salm believes AHA will now be able to run much more efficiently.
SSFC hears budget proposal from Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics, presentation from Union
SSFC will decide whether or not to approve AHA’s budget for the 2020 fiscal year Thursday.
In addition, SSFC approved their own internal budget in a vote of 13-0.
