The Associated Students of Madison Coordinating Council began discussion Wednesday on the organization’s operating budget for the 2016 fiscal year.
Each year, ASM makes decisions on the breakdown of university segregated fees, which are charged to students for services and programs aside from general instruction.
The budget covers a variety of costs such as ASM administrative functions, stipends for ASM faculty and staff and registered student organizations grants.
Wednesday’s meeting was the first of several upcoming budget discussions, and ASM Chair Madison Laning asked for input on what council members wanted to see represented in the budget.
Nominations Board Chair Matt Walczak explained a line item in which ASM provides support for students with disabilities.
This funding works to give financial support to students with disabilities who seek to participate in extracurricular events, according to ASM’s website.
Laning described how the McBurney Disability Resource Center will provide a service, such as finding an interpreter, for a student and then reach out to ASM for cost reimbursement of that service.
Walczak said it is crucial to allow these students to be included in such events.
“It’s really important that they’re able to participate in student life as equally as students with non-disabilities,” Walczak said.
Laning echoed the importance of inclusion for students with disabilities in extracurricular events.
“We’re funding these events,” Laning said. “So we should be funding a way for all students to go to them.”
The council also discussed whether it would keep its membership with the United States Student Association, a national organization that promotes education and advocacy for issues impacting students, according to its website.
ASM Vice Chair Kyla Kaplan said that if the council does terminate its USSA membership, it should focus instead on promoting campus conversations that will address school-wide issues before national issues.
ASM Secretary Al Schultz added that the council’s money could be best spent on improving the lives and welfare of UW-Madison students.
“We have a duty to our student body, the people we represent, more than we have a duty to any national student body,” Schultz said.
Coordinating Council will meet in two weeks for further budget discussion.
