The Student Services Finance Committee denied the MultiCultural Student Coalition an additional eligibility hearing after listening to an internal appeal from the organization Monday.
MCSC member Olivia Wick-Bander said SSFC members violated their oaths and Associated Students of Madison bylaws by passing new administrative rules after the deadline for action had passed. She also said Chair David Vines violated policy because he delivered an official eligibility denial letter to members of MCSC before the committee had approved it.
Wick-Bander said the group’s denial letter indicated SSFC had a lack of information when they decided on MCSC’s eligibility. She also said SSFC found MCSC to be in violation of policy based on false claims. One claim stated MCSC had not submitted training contracts in 2012 in accordance with policy, but Wick-Bander argued the group had submitted contracts before they were aware of the correct procedure.
SSFC Rep. Justin Bloesch said he would not change his vote because he had evidence that the date MCSC’s contracts were signed was after the date the group had been informed of the procedure for submitting training contracts.
Other SSFC members who had originally voted on MCSC’s eligibility said they did not feel MCSC’s appeal contained new information that could have affected their decision.
“I do not deny that there were bylaws violated, but none of these points would have changed the three reasons we denied them eligibility,” Rep. Brett Ducharme said.
SSFC also approved the 2014-’15 budget for the Campus Women’s Center, an organization that provides support services and brings awareness to campus about diverse gender-based issues women and others face.
CWC’s approved budget was $82,265.70, roughly $6,000 less than the group had requested. SSFC made some changes to the group’s budget, including a reduction in funds for a speaker.
Additionally at the meeting, SSFC received a budget request from the Student Leadership Program, an organization that focuses on strengthening individual and group leadership. The group requested about $10,000 less than its last approved budget, and an SLP member said they were able to cut funding in several areas they have not needed in the past few years.
