The student government’s Coordinating Council heard a report that funding is fully allocated for student organization event grants, leaving a substantial number of groups that have applied without funds.
In discussing the future of event grants, Finance Committee Chair Andrew Kidd said all of the remaining $7,468 the committee has left in event grant funding will all be allocated today. He said after today, the Finance Committee will not be able to provide funding for the 10 future groups requesting funding from event grants.
However, Kidd said he would refrain from putting forward legislation to move money from the ASM internal budget.
“The concern is that if we do just a little bit now, then we satisfy a few more groups, but we still have a long queue of groups that just won’t be receiving funding,” Kidd said.
The Finance Committee could be able to provide funding for the rest of the events throughout the year if they put the entire ASM internal budget toward event grants, Kidd said. But, he would strongly discourage doing so, he added.
Kidd said he wants to focus on revamping policies and procedures, and taking care of operations grants for the next fiscal year.
Shared Governance Chair Brittany Moes addressed issues of bus transportation on campus. According to Moes, the Student Transportation Board has engaged in discussions dealing with the future of funding for bus transportation. Although she said the committee has talked about cutting funding, she also expressed how issues of safety and the distance between classes could warrant against certain bus cuts.
Regarding safety, Moes said students living below Regent and in Lakeshore have expressed concern.
“It’s not a law or a statute,” Moes said. “ASM is the reason we got the buses for safety reasons, so we would be essentially undoing the work that we did.”
Moes added she has no opinion on the issue either way.
A complete bus cut would require an expansion of the minutes between classes to at least 25 to allow for students to make it across campus, according to Moes.
“Cutting the buses will be significant, but it also means [segregated] fees are going to have to increase if we decide to pay the amount to run the buses where they’re at now,” Moes said.
ASM Vice Chair Maria Giannopoulos addressed the committee to share future plans for the May 4 Mifflin alternative festival. The event is officially named “Revelry,” she said.
Giannopoulos said securing corporate sponsorship and engaging in talks with the Residence Hall Advisory Board are two things she is currently working on for the event.
Regarding funding for the May 4 event, Giannopoulos said she is working to secure funding from many different campus entities. She cited University Housing, University Health Services, Diversity and Climate office, the Wisconsin Union, the Division of Student Life and the Office of the Chancellor as examples.
According to Giannopoulos, $3,000 will also be taken out of the ASM internal budget to fund the May 4 event.
