Even though it is only Fall 2016, the Coordinating Council of the Associated Students of Madison sat down Wednesday to approve a preliminary budget for the 2018 fiscal year.
This year, ASM salaries switched from a stipend to an hourly wage in accordance with the university’s $9-an-hour policy. The committee debated proposed budget cuts in order to offset this increase.
In the last budget cycle, funding for event grants for registered student organizations was increased from $210,000 to $220,000. On further review, however, Grant Allocation Chair Ariela Rivkin and Chair Carmen Goséy found that this extra expenditure was unnecessary.
Rivkin explained that the increase was requested based on the first two months of the year, but as they progressed the committee realized it was unnecessary.
Additionally, Coordinating Council cut some funding allocated to support students with disabilities. Some members of ASM felt that the university should be providing these services. In past years, a large part of this budget line has gone to an interpreter for a student to be able to attend a student organization.
“I think that ASM can fund part of it, I just hope that ASM does not have to fund all of it,” Goséy said. “I don't want ASM to get into the habit of ASM paying for department work rather than departments fulfilling that duty for students.”
Outreach Director Matt Wulf said he would like to strike that part of the budget entirely and put pressure on the university to fund it themselves.
“I think that it was all really responsible, and I actually think that we balanced the budget,” said Goséy of the proposed cuts.
“Given the increases and decreases, I don't think there was anything that really stood out that would be, ‘Oh my gosh, this is going to change campus,’ which is a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it,” Goséy added.
The budget proposal for the 2018 fiscal year will be further discussed, altered and voted on by Student Council and the Student Services Finance Committee before being approved in February.
