The Student Services Finance Committee ruled Monday that the Multicultural Student Coalition committed an intentional policy violation by failing to follow university and state purchasing policies.
The committee determined MCSC intentionally worked around student government processes to pay alumni for trainings, committing the violations.
SSFC Chair Sarah Neibart said the group submitted four contracts to Vice Chancellor Darrell Bazzell to pay alumni who had already trained group members rather than going through the appropriate student government funding streams.
“What I see from the facts before us is that on several occasions the group was informed they could not do things which they did anyway,” SSFC Rep. Cale Plamann said. “The way they did that involved trying to circumvent ASM staff.”
SSFC also questioned the involvement of former UW employee Michael Franklin, who MCSC members said provided the training.
Neibart said the group paid Franklin more than $15,000 in segregated fees over the past year and a half.
MCSC leadership team member Cecilia León said the group submitted all four contracts and informed SSFC about them, but was unable to provide physical documentation to the committee. She said MCSC members asked university employees if the contracts would violate ASM policies, but the employees did not give them clear answers.
“We turned in those contracts but they were never recognized,” Léon said. “If there is an alleged violation, intentional or unintentional, we have asked multiple times where in this policy it says that.”
Student Council is scheduled to decide if MCSC is eligible for funding through student fees this week. While committing an intentional policy violation renders a group ineligible for funding, Neibart said student council members are free to independently decide if the group intentionally violated the policies.
“I think it’s really important for council members to take what we found in making their decision because we are knowledgeable,” Neibart said. “Student council should also take into account that an intentional policy violation has occurred.”
SSFC also upheld Neibart’s decision to freeze MCSC’s funding for 52 weeks, as determined by ASM bylaws. The freeze will carry into the next fiscal year.
