The Student Services Finance Committee approved the University Health Services budget at more than $14 million Thursday.
Although the committee denied the Wisconsin Union and Rec Sports’ budget last week because the groups did not provide specific outlines of where student segregated fees would go, committee members said UHS was transparent in its budget process.
The three groups, along with childcare and the Student Activity Center make up UW-Madison students’ non-allocable segregated fees.
SSFC Chair Sarah Neibart said about 80 percent of the group’s budget comes from segregated fees.
“They were very clear where [segregated fees] are going and how that’s delineated in their budget,” Neibart said. “They gave us all the information we requested.”
The committee added approximately $180,000 to the group’s budget to hire two additional mental health counselors to the UHS staff.
Former SSFC Secretary Jair Alvarez said as of last year, students were allowed 30 counseling sessions through UHS throughout their four years at the university. Alvarez said this would limit undergraduates to about one session every two months, a number he said is too low.
“The truth of the matter is that if in the end, you don’t fix the problem, there will be an issue at some point,” Alvarez said.
Rep. Tia Nowack said it is SSFC’s job to ensure services are meeting constituents’ needs.
“The one resounding complaint that I always hear about the UHS is that there just is not enough access for mental health providers,” Rep. Tia Nowack said. “I think it’s our job to make sure we’re filling this void when we see it.”
