The Student Services Finance Committee approved decreased budgets of $1,150 for the UW-Madison Division of Recreational Sports and $6,000 to the ASM Bus Pass Program at a meeting Monday.
The Rec. Sports budget passed with a vote of 7-0 after a lengthy debate over traveling expenses and possible installation of a new scoreboard. The resulting budget cuts $15,700 from building services funds that were set aside for the scoreboard installation. The scoreboard has not been donated yet, which members cited as their reason for the cut.
The SSFC then allocated $4,200 of the money cut from building services to traveling expenses so Rec. Sports club teams could compete with more schools outside of the Big Ten.
Members opposed to the increase in traveling funds, such as committee member Eric Saar, said members of club sports teams understand that joining teams will pose a financial burden. He maintained there are better ways to allocate student funds, which will benefit more of the student body.
The committee never questioned the necessity of bus passes during the meeting, agreeing that they are essential to students, but debated the funding of plastic bus-pass holders. The program had allocated $14,000 to purchase these key-ring holders. Committee members cut that section of the budget by $6,000 after a vote of 8-0, leaving only $8,000 for the holders.
