The Associated Students of Madison’s Student Services Finance Committee approved the budget for the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group for the fiscal year 2014-2015 and heard a budget presentation from the Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment at a meeting Monday.

Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group 

After discussion on multiple budget lines, such as mileage for board meetings, membership fees, salaries and fringe costs, SSFC representatives voted 5-0-2 to fund WISPIRG with a budget of $22,481, significantly lower than the requested $163,151.50 budget.

SSFC Rep. Brett Ducharme moved to cut membership fees from $57,599 to $7,732, with the intent to cut organizing support services from the fees, which was approved.

SSFC also removed $960 from airfare for advocacy training, $900 from airfare under organizing training, $100 from transportation under recruitment outreach organizer, $100 mileage under outreach advocacy and $180 from regional staff meetings.

However, the biggest cut was $72,125 from salaries. Ducharme said he did not see many policies that allowed for funding these salaries and hiring outside of UW.

Additionally, SSFC cut $200 from mileage under board meetings, $2,625 from the telephone line item, almost $2,000 from airfare, $100 from transportation under recruitment outreach organizer, $100 mileage under outreach advocacy, $180 from regional staff meetings, $17,310 out of fringes, $800 from filing fees, $1000 from insurance and $60 from accounting banking.

SSFC Rep. Michael Babcock said he had met WISPIRG members who said they did not need the travel money for mileage under the board meetings budget item.

Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment

PAVE requested a budget of $81,648.88 for fiscal year 2014-2015, a 6.46 percent decrease from their budget the previous fiscal year.

“PAVE is the only peer-to-peer resource dedicated to ending sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking through education and activism,” Aly Jarocki, PAVE chair, said.

PAVE’s programming includes bringing expert speakers to campus, facilitating educational workshops, supporting survivors through awareness outreach and providing educational materials on mission-relevant subjects, as well as an open space for discussion, Jarocki said.

PAVE cut $9,601.13 from salaries and decreased $2,400 from computer soft/hardware and telephone line items in order to increase the efficient use of student funding and to move some of this money into programs that help create a more respectful campus environment, Jarocki said.

The group increased their advertising funds by $1,600 and supplies/furniture by $899 and programming lines for staff training and Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault Training Institute, Steve Jendrzejek, PAVE finance coordinator, said.

The new program lines also requested increase for a Media Analysis Series program and Wisconsin Welcome Week Speaker program, which amounted to a total increase of $3,743, Jendrzejek said.

SSFC will vote on PAVE’s budget and hear budget proposals from SPILL and Badger Catholic Monday.