Badger Catholic continued its “history of making fiscally responsible decisions” while Adventure Learning Programs made plans to improve program safety in a Student Services Finances Committee meeting Monday, according to Secretary Brett DuCharme.
Badger Catholic presented its 2016 fiscal year budget of $90,890.75 to the committee Thursday. Vice President Peter Cooney said this budget supports the group’s main mission on campus of deepening discussion.
SSFC approved the budget but made some amendments, per the request of members. DuCharme moved to cut two pastoral intern positions and add one peer mentor. Pastoral interns oversee peer mentors, while peer mentors work directly with students.
Next, ALPS, a student group challenging people through adventure-based learning with team-building workshops, presented its budget to SSFC.
“We have a high and a low ropes course that we take students to, and they go through communication, team building and trust activities to get to know about themselves and each other,” UW-Madison junior Sam Toppe, an ALPS facilitator and coordinator, said.
ALPS increased its 2016 budget fiscal to $155,839.58.
UW-Madison senior Maty Merkatoris, also a facilitator and summer coordinator, said ALPS hasn’t previously had many issues getting similar programs approved.
Many of the increases within the budget aim to improve training and facility safety. Merkatoris said some of the renovation funding will go toward improving the low ropes ground workshops by tightening the cables.
“Right now, if you stand on them, you hit the ground,” she said.
However, when SSFC Rep. Todd Garon asked about the current safety of the course, ALPS members assured him most of the funding will go toward employee salaries and the program budget, all to improve course safety.
Several new programs fund training and conferences to give facilitators new activities, techniques and approaches to bring back to students.
“We have some things to touch up at the next meeting, but I think we did a good job,” Toppe said.
SSFC Vice President Thuy Pham said she thought SSFC’s thorough questioning about staffing and and training following ALPS’ presentation was healthy and productive.
SSFC will decide ALPS’ budget Oct. 23.
