This article has been updated to reflect updated financial numbers.
Debate over the transparency of the proposed 2014-‘15 Wisconsin Union budget prompted discussion among Student Services Finance Committee members at a meeting Monday, resulting in the committee freezing the group’s funding for next year.
The Union presented a $17,703,500 proposed budget at an SSFC meeting Feb. 17, including a 1.5% requested increase in segregated fees. The committee only approved a $10,106,600 total allocation, the same amount distributed in 2013-’14.
Rep. Justin Bloesch said because of vague line items within the budget, in addition to a lack of information from the Union, he did not feel comfortable recommending Chancellor Rebecca Blank to approve the total student segregated-fee request.
Wisconsin Union Directorate President Neil Damron said WUD members made a conscious effort since September 2013 to communicate with SSFC in terms of the budget and its process, including inviting representatives to attend budget discussions and Union Council meetings.
“The only times that we’ve really heard that there hasn’t been enough information was in the last two weeks when [SSFC] decided that they would start this [budget] process with us,” Damron said.
SSFC Vice Chair Ian Malmstadt said the committee should strive toward changing the process currently in place with reviewing non-allocable budgets. Malmstadt said by denying the Union additional funding when the committee feels as though it has insufficient information, SSFC has taken the first step in reaching a better procedure.
The committee reviews both allocable and non-allocable funding requests during the year. SSFC has authority to make binding decisions over allocable groups but only has the power to make funding recommendations to the chancellor with non-allocable groups.
Damron said the Union felt as though the budget recommendation was motivated by SSFC’s frustration with the lack of control students have over the non-allocable budget process, something that is not up for an immediate change. The Union will look to Blank before she finalizes the budget to make sure this concern is addressed, according to Damron.
“We’re not sure that this decision was arrived at in a judicious way,” Damron said. “It’s unfortunate that it seems as though the decision was based on process that they’re not happy with, as opposed to the budget.”
While SSFC’s decision does not affect funding for the Union Building Project, which centers around renovating the Memorial Union, Damron said “tough decisions” will have to be made in terms of cutting back within other sections of the budget.
SSFC also approved Associated Students of Madison Student Judiciary’s $40,000 2014-’15 budget.
Student Judiciary is charged with the task of overseeing any issues that arise in conjunction with ASM and outside groups, as well as to facilitate and regulate the ASM elections.
The presented budget was similar to the 2013-’14 budget, except for a $1,721.85 stipend increase for the Student Election Chair position.
SJ Chair Adam Wald said the monetary increase for the position stems from the time dedicated to facilitating meetings once a week in the role, which he said runs during the year from both before and after election season.
SSFC struck the line-item increase and kept the budget in line with last year’s approved funding allotment, due to confusion on behalf of committee members as to what exactly the responsibilities of the Student Election Chair were.
SSFC also approved the Student Activity Center Governing Board’s budget of $339,577 for 2014-’15, roughly a $46,000 decrease from its 2013-’14 budget.
The committee will hear a budget proposal for WSUM Thursday.
