The student government got out their red pens and slashed more than $10,000 from the Wisconsin Student Lobby’s proposed budget at their meeting Monday night.

The Associated Students of Madison Student Services Finance Committee approved the WSL budget at $47,099.68 for the 2011-12 budget. SSFC cut $11,951.72 from the group’s original budget request.

Some members of the committee expressed frustration at WSL for not informing the committee about their plans for restructuring their administration after the group was granted eligibility this year.

SSFC Secretary Jason Smathers, who was formerly editor in chief of The Badger Herald, asked why the group did not make it clear they were planning on making major changes during their eligibility hearings.

“If something is changed that is in your budget, we will not strike you down with fire and brimstone if you are just restructuring,” Smathers said. “Everything has to be done before we come to this table, even if it’s between August and September. People will get very frustrated and might try to throw the whole budget out the window.”

SSFC raised concerns the group was not being efficient in managing the administration of their group and cut funding for the positions of web director, executive director and programming director from their budget.

The committee was also troubled because WSL had not used a third of the funds they were given last year, the first year the group was on campus.

WSL Finance Director Ian Sundstrom said it was unfair to base all of their budget projects off of their first year on campus, because it is difficult for any group to get their name out to the student body.

Representative Cale Plamman attempted to cut down the number of hours the group’s leaders would be paid because he did not believe WSL would grow enough this year to justify the money they were being given. However, the committee voted against his cuts.

“I want to emphasize my displeasure with the way these hours are turning out…I strongly doubt the group will grow into the amount of hours we have assigned,” Plamman said.

Sundstrom disagreed with Plamman’s calculations on how much money the group should be awarded.

“Plamman seemed to make decisions based on formulas that came from his head,” Sundstrom said.

Rachel Vesco, WSL executive director, said the formulas Plamman was using were not in the bylaws, and it was unclear where they were coming from. She added it was possible for other SSFC representatives to get lost in his jargon.

The Committee also approved the budget for Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment. PAVE’s budget was approved at $82,457.92 for the 2011-12 year.

The committee briefly debated cutting the money for the group to bring in a national speaker, but left the request intact under the assumption the group would attempt to negotiate the lowest price possible.

“Overall I think this is a responsible budget,” Plamann said.

Also at the meeting, the Campus Women’s Center, Supporting Peers in Laid-Back Listening and Adventure Learning Programs presented their budget proposals to the committee.

The three groups’ budget decisions will be debated and announced on Thursday.

SSFC has given out $529,062.95 in funding for budgets so far this year.