The Student Services Finance Committee approved Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics’ proposed budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year and heard Wunk Sheek’s proposed budget for the same fiscal year Thursday evening.
SSFC addressed revisions AHA made to their original budget, including decreasing fringe allocation from $475 to $150, taking $400 from the originally requested $1,000 for supplies and furniture and similarly decreasing funds for space rentals.
Rep. Henry Galles also proposed decreasing the allocation for long distance travel from $3,000 to $1,800, saying the group only needs to send three members to the Secular Student Alliance National Conference instead of the proposed five. Though the movement was voted down, Galles questioned how sending an additional two would benefit the campus.
SSFC holds budget hearing for Atheists, Humanists and Agnostic Club
“I see the benefit of this conference, and I see that they are able to bring back good from this conference to campus, however, I don’t think it’s fiscally responsible of us to fund five members going,” Galles said.
After the SSFC voted to approve AHA’s 2019-20 budget of $61,775.50, they heard a proposal from Wunk Sheek, “an organization that serves students of indigenous identity and members of the UW-Madison community interested in indigenous issues, culture and history,” according to their website.
Wunk Sheek’s proposed budget of $42,055 is a 20 percent increase from the previous year’s approved budget of $34,974. Major changes came in the inclusion of funding for the Big Ten Native American Conference — which the organization has attended in the past with support from the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement — and increases in funding for dialogue and discussion, Native November and Indigenous Workshops.
“We’re looking for more money so that we can bring in more speakers, and that is all because of our good infrastructure and how solid our leadership is this year,” Michael Williams, one of the groups’ fiscal relations officers, said.
SSFC representatives questioned why Wunk Sheek is asking for an increased budget when 21 percent of their budget from last year went unused.
Wunk Sheek representatives responded that their previous leadership was unsure how to handle the clerical aspect of SSFC funding. Williams told representatives that the group now has systems put in place to avoid future confusion and reduce the number of returns.
The SSFC is set to vote on Wunk Sheek’s proposed budget Oct. 15.
