When six student groups wrote off-campus rent into their proposed budgets last fall, it was unclear whether Chancellor John Wiley’s mandate against funding facilities outside of university buildings was simply forgotten or intentionally disregarded.

When the Student Services Finance Committee subsequently approved those budgets in December, the same ambiguity hung in the air.

But when SSFC intentionally granted the funding in direct opposition to the administration’s requests, nobody needed to ask whether it was a simple mistake. The committee deliberately disregarded Mr. Wiley — and consequently the Board of Regents — in what seems to be a misguided, arrogant and unfounded proclamation of students’ rights that will most likely amount to an enormous waste of time.

Shared governance allows University of Wisconsin System students to work with administrators in decision making, and it is a privilege guaranteed by our state Constitution. At UW-Madison, the Associated Students of Madison, by way of SSFC, is responsible for determining which student groups get what funds, and ASM submits its funding recommendations to the administration after substantial debate and refinement. The chancellor’s office usually accepts what the student government decides and consequently grants the designated student-segregated fees to the designated groups.

When SSFC makes a decision contrary to UW System policy, however, intervention is necessary by the bodies actually responsible for dispersing the funds: the chancellor and, ultimately, the Board of Regents.

In this case, the regents informed Mr. Wiley two years ago that student groups could no longer receive funds for off-campus facilities, and Mr. Wiley granted a one-year exception to the rule for groups requesting funding then. He also warned the organizations they would need to relocate to campus this year or lose the portions of their budgets allotted for off-campus rent.

To intentionally disregard the chancellor’s request is an insult coming from the body chosen to represent UW students. The administration does not make unreasonable requests on a normal basis. On the contrary, the chancellor demonstrates an immense amount of respect for ASM and SSFC — and for the organizations they fund.

If anything, this stand against the chancellor will result in the administration’s assertion of the real power they possess over university funding. We just hope this shot in the foot doesn’t have long-term effects on the otherwise cooperative nature of shared governance at UW.