The Student Services Finance Committee moved to suspend its contract status process Monday, and heard the Associated Students of Madison's internal budget proposal.
Officially suspended by a 7-3 vote, contract status allows the committee to approve contract standing for certain student organizations.
Contract standing allows important groups like the Rape Crisis Center to be exempt from the annual eligibility process most student groups must undergo to receive funding.
In an e-mail last October, Chancellor Biddy Martin wrote she would not approve additional contract status requests under the current process.
Martin maintained that because the student government makes no independent determination of whether a service is necessary, it ends up paying for student services it has not determined to be needed.
Because groups need Martin's final vote to attain contract status, the chancellor's veto effectively suspended the SSFC's process months ago.
""Contract status as written in our bylaws is effectively suspended until we can find something that works,"" SSFC chair Matt Manes said.
ASM Chair Brandon Williams also presented the student council budget at $1,179,338, an increase of approximately $1,000 from last year.
Williams focused on the additions of a graduate technology assistant, tasked with helping improve ASM's website, and a government relations advisor, who would act as a lobbyist to the state Legislature on students' behalf.
Additionally, SSFC Secretary Jason Smathers said he plans to step down this February. His seat will open after Feb. 11.
A hearing for the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) hearing will take place Tuesday. The committee will make the ASM budget decision at its meeting Thursday.
