Members of University of Wisconsin’s Student Services Finance Committee unanimously spoke against zeroing out the stipends they receive for sitting on the board in a Monday meeting.

For the 2014-15 school year, $15,000 was approved to pay SSFC attending members a $20 stipend per meeting. The 2015-16 requested total was $0.

SSFC Rep. Jessica Franco-Morales argued that getting rid of the stipend would discourage those hoping to become members of SSFC from joining.

“My main concern is that some, who wish to be on this board, do not have the time to be here,” Franco-Morales said.

SSFC Chair Devon Maier was absent from the meeting, but Vice Chair Thuy Pham relayed his position on the matter. He said the reason for the stipend is to encourage members to join and pay back members of the body for the time they spend doing outreach. By zeroing out the stipend, SSFC would potentially turn away people who want to be part of the body but would not be able to dedicate their time without compensation, he said.

Rep. Todd Garon agreed that he wouldn’t be sitting on SSFC without the stipend, but suggested a compromise by cutting the stipend in half.

“Having a stipend for my work encouraged me to be on this board,” Rep. Erin Harper said.

SSFC also debated zeroing the advertising fund. In 2014-15, $100 was approved for advertising.

Franco-Morales argued that an $100 allocation would not be efficient, but rather than zeroing the fund it should be increased.

“To me zeroing out this line is taking the easy way out, taking out the responsibility of this group to actively try to recruit,” Franco-Morales said.

Harper agreed that advertising with $100 is very difficult and the fund should be zeroed or raised to a substantial amount.

Pham questioned the logic of moving away from advertising while trying to recruit more members.

The next SSFC meeting will be held Thursday.