The Student Services Finance Committee approved budget increase for MEChA, FH King Students for Sustainable Agriculture and Vets for Vets Thursday.
MEChA, an organization that educates students about Chicano culture on campus, requested an increase in their 2011-2012 budget to cover various needs, including art and music supplies, as well as transportation costs for students to go to national conferences.
Although the SSFC reduced the airfare budget of MEChA, the group was granted over $64,000 for their 2011-2012 budget in a unanimous vote.
The sustainable farm of UW-Madison, FH King, received an increase in their funding from last year.
Isaac Sinnott, finance director of FH King, was optimistic about the new possibilities for the organization given the increase.
""We hope to continue to increase the number of produce we're producing. FH King is currently hiring more interns from last year, and expanding our composting projecy,"" Sinnott said.
Vets for Vets, an educational service group providing resources for veterans and students, received the greatest budget increase.
The total budget for Vets for Vets was approved at $36,382.
The group wanted to concentrate most of it's funds on increasing visibility on campus through advertising.
""With our actual programs, it doesn't take a lot of money. It doesn't take money for us to sit down and talk to somebody. But it does for them to know that we are here as a resource for them,"" Zakiiyah Sorensen, President of Vets for Vets, said.
Some members expressed concern about the amount of funding allocated for the organization's advertising budget and the committee decided to cut $5,224 for items such as apparel.
""The fact that they understood our mission so much that they were willing to raise our advertising budget [from last year] is a great show of support for our group,"" Marketing Director of Vets for Vets, Stephen Lee, said.
The SSFC also heard budget proposals from Greater University Tutoring Services and Student Leadership Program at the meeting. The budgets will be decided at the next meeting Nov. 1.
