In what figures to be an intense, precedent setting meeting, the Student Services Finance Committee will decide if the UW Roman Catholic Foundation and the Jewish Cultural Collective are eligible to receive money from the General Student Services Fund at 6 p.m. Today In The Union.
\There's going to be a lot to cover and its going to be pretty heated,"" said SSFC Chair Aaron Werner. ""It will be one of the five most heated meetings of the year.""
If approved by the Student Service Finance Committee, the UW Roman Catholic Foundation, an organization active at UW-Madison since 1900, will be the campus' first religious organization eligible for SSFC funding.
""I think it just sets a precedent of legitimacy for religious groups on this campus and it might give them a confidence to apply [for funds] if they're found eligible,""said Jeff Korab, a UW Roman Catholics employee and UW-Madison senior.
Although it is a religious organization, the UW Roman Catholic Foundation did not apply as a religious service. According to Tim Kruse, UW Roman Catholic Foundation's director of development, the organization applied as a cultural group.
Any funds the organization may receive would not be used for chapel or pastoral services.
""We are not seeking any funding for the activities that go on in the chapel and we aren't asking for any funding for our priests,"" Kruse said. ""We realize that would be too controversial.""
The UW Roman Catholic Foundation services approximately 10,000 students and nearly 2,000 students utilize the group's student center every week.
""It's a lot of work to serve that many kids and lots of much smaller organizations get lots of help,"" Kruse said.
Still, a religiously affiliated group applying for general student service funds arouses concern. Similar groups with ideological beliefs encountered resistance in 1996 when former UW-Madison student Scott Southworth sued the university for funding such groups stating it was unconstitutional. Now, SSFC members must evaluate organizations from a neutral viewpoint.
SSFC Chair Werner said the beliefs of the organization won't be a factor in their decision.
""Our committee is very objective and they don't evaluate any of these groups on their beliefs.""
If the SSFC keeps that objective in mind, UW Roman Catholic Foundation and the JCC members said they are confident they will gain eligibility.
Matt Canter, program associate of the JCC, a branch of the Hillel organization, said he is confident the proposal will meet approval.
Canter said the JCC is affiliated with Jewish culture, not religion and is applying as an educational group.
""We do have religious programming at Hillel but none of that is included within the proposal of the JCC,"" Canter said. ""It is completely an artistic and cultural program.""
Although both the UW Roman Catholic Foundation and the JCC are applying as non-religious groups, tonight's meeting may affect future SSFC decisions.
