The Multicultural Student Coalition filed an appeal to the Student Judiciary Monday against a student government committee's decision to limit the group's funding. Badger Catholic Chair Nico Fassino told the same committee his group, who recently won a lawsuit against UW-Madison for denying the group money in 2007, is eligible to receive funding.
The Student Services finance committee denied MCSC's request to be eligible for $1.27 million in funding last week because the group submitted their waiver past deadline, thus capping MCSC's funding at $250,000.
MCSC's appeal contains fourteen specific complaints against SSFC, including claims the committee did not inform MCSC of the punishment for turning in the waiver late and failed to be ""reasonably helpful"" once MCSC made it clear they were going to apply for more than $250,000 in funding.
SSFC Chair Sarah Neibart said she expected the appeal.
""I assumed they would file an appeal, and they have every right to,"" Neibart said.
But Neibart said SSFC did everything within their power to notify groups of the deadline and ensure groups' success.
Neibart said SSFC did not violate any laws.
""I'm confident in SSFC's decision and I think we, procedurally, were right so I don't foresee any negative circumstances coming our way,"" Neibart said.
The Student Judiciary will assemble a panel tomorrow to determine if MCSC has grounds for an appeal, Chief Justice Kathryn Fifield said.
MCSC declined to comment on the matter.
Also at the meeting, Badger Catholic leader Nico Fassino spoke to SSFC, saying the group was eligible to receive funding.
Recently, UW-Madison paid Badger Catholic $500,000 after the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the university violated the group's First Amendment right to free speech by denying it funding for religious practices in 2007.
Fassino said Badger Catholic provides mentoring to students and works to facilitate campus-wide discussion about faith and fulfills all requirements necessary to receive funding.
SSFC will decide whether the group is eligible for funding Thursday.
