The Associated Students of Madison approved a new set of eligibility criteria Wednesday, which clarifies requirements for student groups to receive segregated fee funding.
An Eligibility Criteria Review Committee worked over the past seven months to develop the new set of criteria for General Student Services Fund groups.
The new language simplifies the requirements needed for registered student organizations to achieve funding by creating three categories: general requirements, accountability requirements and programming requirements. The criteria also clarify the different areas of programming that groups are expected to fulfill.
Student Services Finance Committee Chair David Vines, who worked on developing the new criteria, said both GSSF group and overall student input was taken into account when developing the revised standards.
ASM Vice Chair Mia Akers and University Affairs Committee Chair Hannah Kinsella also spoke to fellow representatives regarding Student Council’s April 23 vote on the final draft of the Diversity Plan.
Since the plan was first presented to council, engagement sessions have occurred across campus to facilitate public input on the plan.
While changes have been made, Akers urged council members to think of the best interest of University of Wisconsin-Madison students when voting on the plan, citing continuing gaps within the framework.
“If we say yes to this plan and accept everything as is, it leaves a lot of room for the things that really need to be addressed in the plan to not be there ever,” Akers said. “I think if we do that it would be a disservice to students.”
Though approval from all shared governance bodies is required for implementation, Kinsella said a “no” vote would not considerably hinder the Diversity Plan’s future.
