The Student Services Finance Committee heard a budget proposal from the Division of Recreational Sports Monday that calls for a $6 increase in contributions per student next year.
Interim Director of RecSports John Horn said the proposed budget of $2,667,100 includes small increases in staffing and programming.
According to SSFC Chair Ellie Bruecker, much of the increase in the budget comes from state-mandated maintenance projects, such as repairs to the Southeast Recreational Facility roof. The state had previously paid for 100 percent of these mandated projects, but will now only cover 50 percent.
If approved, each full-time undergraduate would pay about $36 to partially fund the group.
Much of the conversation focused on the future of RecSports, after Horn stressed that the University of Wisconsin-Madison is far behind other campuses in terms of the quality of its recreational spaces.
According to Horn, many facilities have not been updated since they were first built over forty years ago, despite the fact that 77 percent of students use the facilities.
However, Horn said the budget addresses present needs only and is not geared toward expanding or improving amenities.
Bruecker said the increase RecSports is requesting is “merited,” as the group is working with buildings that are outdated.
“My personal opinion is that its more fiscally responsible to re-do the building than to keep funneling money into a dying facility,” Bruecker said.
The committee will take a tour of the RecSports facilities Thursday before voting on the budget next Monday.
