The Student Judiciary will decide the fate of the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group's segregated fee funding in two separate appellate cases Tuesday.
WISPIRG originally appealed to the judiciary after the Student Services Finance Committee rejected its eligibility application for the second time this year.
The SJ ruled against the finance committee's decision, saying the SSFC failed to apply a reasonable and consistent interpretation of bylaws.
The SSFC will appeal the decision before the SJ Tuesday.
If the appeals panel sides with SSFC, the case is closed. If the SJ rules in WISPIRG's favor, the SSFC must find a way to hear the group's eligibility case even though official meetings have ended for the semester.
SSFC Chair Matt Manes said he is ""cautiously optimistic"" the SJ will rule in favor of the SSFC, adding the appeals panel ""hasn't screwed up yet.""
WISPIRG Chair Matt Kozlowski is also ""really hopeful,"" saying he understands the case presents a ""tricky issue,"" but is confident WISPIRG's argument, that SSFC's decision was not viewpoint neutral, is solid.
The appeals panel will also hear a case from former WISPIRG Chair Rashi Mangalick, appealing the SJ decision to dismiss WISPIRG's request to hold their next eligibility hearing before the student council, rather than the SSFC.
""They've shown their bias against us a number of times,"" Mangalick said. ""We just want a fair process.""
The hearings begin Tuesday in the Student Activity Center hearing room.
