With many issues stemming from committee member absences, the Associated Students of Madison Student Services Finance Committee voted to approve including possible consequences for members who miss future meetings.

The motion passed with eight voting in favor and three abstaining at their Thursday meeting.

The committee discussed the fine details of past resolutions to address this issue and what they planned to do moving forward.

Student finance committee votes to impeach members after contentious debate

Rep. Kyle Watter said the grounds for removal were previously based on a percentage. In past legislation, if members missed 75 percent of meetings, they would be removed from the committee.

Some representatives said these statistics would be too difficult for members to keep track of. A 50 percent stake, however, may be a good compromise.

“Just because someone is up for removal does not mean that they have to be removed,” Watter said.

Members expressed concern with the number of excused and unexcused absences from last semester. Members began taking the approximate five meetings they were allowed to miss for granted, Watter said.

Student finance committee ‘wholeheartedly rejects’ parts of Walker’s budget proposal

Rep. Kristi Parsons called the committee’s current attendance policy “okay.”

“It just needs to be enforced by members … I’m currently indifferent on this legislation,” Parsons said.

Watter said members are students first, and part of the committee second. He said if a member could reasonably explain where they need to be 24 hours before a SSFC meeting, they should be relieved of any consequences.

Watter said the need for penalization should only happen with bad communication.

The representatives also debated when a removed member could return to the committee. A member who was dismissed for too many absences or ethical reasons could come back to the committee after the end of the current term and the following one, according to their current legislation.

Rock the vote: Student finance committee unanimously approves WSUM budget increase

“It’s better to have a new voice bring ideas to the table than an old voice who was removed,” Watter said.

The representatives also discussed whether a member could be given the opportunity to join sooner if they attended a committee hearing.

They questioned if someone had demonstrated the right amount of commitment to SSFC, but failed in attendance, should be given the opportunity to rejoin.

The provision ultimately failed with a vote of 5-4.