Nervous faces turned to smiles, and smiles to elated embraces as the supporters of the Campus Women's Center at last night's Student Services Finance Committee meeting listened to the tallying of votes in favor of reinstating their funding eligibility for the next two years.
The unanimous, 8-0, vote came following a debate where the committee passed the CWC through the ""direct services"" eligibility criteria by a razor-thin margin, and after they withstood the scrutiny of an undercover auditor sent by SSFC Chair Matthew Manes—a tactic questioned by committee member Aliyya Terry.
""Why was the whole committee not informed about this happening? Why did everyone not have a decision in this? Why was he only sent to this group?"" Terry asked Manes.
The committee then voted to put the issue of the undercover auditor—a student position possessed by Brenden Leib and officially titled the ""Accountability Liaison""—on the agenda to be discussed at Monday's meeting.
The secret audit by Leib was ordered by Manes but requested by committee member Cale Plamann—who worked very closely with the CWC and even abstained from voting because of his involvement in the organization.
""I think tonight is a great way of showing that it cuts both ways, and here [the accountability liaison] helped a group out because it showed that they were accountable,"" explained Plamann.
The Accountability Liaison position has not existed for the past three years, and this was the first incident during the eligibility season when the position was used to secretly audit a group, according to Manes.
However, Manes may use the position more extensively in making future decisions about student groups on a case-by-case basis.
Still, CWC supporters were glad to regain funding.
""Everybody is feeling good about it,"" said Catherine Morgan, support services coordinator for the CWC.
But the reprieve is still many months in coming—the CWC cannot receive the promised funding until July.
However, for an organization whose funding expired in June, since the SSFC deemed them ineligible last fall, the decision may be the optimistic news they need.
Without the nearly $100,000 in funding the CWC has come to depend on, the coming year will be a ""strong struggle,"" CWC program coordinator Rae Lymer said.
According to Lymer, the CWC will have to make hard cuts to its spontaneous programming and multicultural women magazine, Women in Redzine, to absorb the losses.
