A potential proposal could put a number of Associated Students of Madison committees’ allocation processes into the hands of Student Services Finance Committee during SSFC’s Thursday night meeting.
The principle idea SSFC discussed was the possibility of structuring its relationship with Finance Committee and Student Activity Center Governing Board as an allocation umbrella; both groups would still act as independent committees, but with all allocation decisions monitored and approved by SSFC which would provide assistance when needed.
The Finance Committee, which allocates finance and event grants, and the SACGB, which oversees the use and organization of the SAC, would remain independent under a new structure, but both chairs were looking to speed up their allocation process.
“We think a change in structure would allow us to work more efficiently with these other groups, since they, too, deal with allocations and viewpoint neutrality,” SSFC Rep. Sam Peters said.
Both Finance Committee Chair Matt Beemsterboer and SACGB Chair Katy Ziebell sat in on discussions at the meeting, offering their ideas on what would be most effective and how to speed up their respective allocation processes.
The subcommittee discussing the issue talked about short- and long-term plans for a potential structure change, citing the need to make significant changes to each group’s current structure if a large-scale structure was accepted.
“Eventually we’ll bring in the two groups under SSFC to create this umbrella structure, but the short term tasks of amending bylaws the constitution to change the current structure will be the easiest part,” SSFC Vice Chair Michael Romenesko said.
Although much of the discussion involved the potential umbrella structure, the main structure would just be more direct collaboration between the groups and would align their similar missions, Romenesko said.
The SSFC representatives and the chairs of the other groups also discussed the potential future budget decisions if they all fell under the same umbrella, as well as the future of General Student Services Fund groups with these three groups working together.
Romenesko saw the preliminary talks as the first steps in improving communication between the three committees to create more effective committees overall.
“If we’re able to make this hierarchy of allocation groups happen, it will allow the chair of SSFC to work much more closely with the SACGB and the Finance Committee,” Romenesko said. “If something important is on their agenda, SSFC will be able to address it much quicker.”
A final recommendation may be proposed in the coming weeks, SSFC Secretary Matt Manes said.
Along with talks of structure change at the meeting, the SSFC also approved a budget change for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, a Chicano and Mexican culture education group.
SSFC approved a $5,128 budget move from MEChA’s office supplies budget to its CulturArte budget, allowing the group to pay for an upcoming speaker event.
MEChA already had this money in its budget allocated to them, but the budget change allowed them to pay for a speaker that could not be paid for by their office supplies budget.
