Associated Students of Madison representatives met Wednesday for preliminary discussions about the Multicultural Student Coalition eligibility for funding, after Chancellor David Ward sent the decision to student council late last week.
The ASM student council plans to make a ruling Thursday, even though the Student Judiciary put an injunction on the decision earlier this week. The injunction says any decision council makes will be invalid until Ward proves the group was treated unfairly in the fall semester.
Chancellor David Ward ordered ASM to determine if MCSC is eligible for funding after the Student Services Finance Committee deemed it was ineligible last fall.
Student Judiciary Chief Justice Chair Kathryn Fifield said Ward abused his authority by sending the decision to council.
“The struggle is about the fact that the chancellor of this university unilaterally overruled a decision made by the students in their proper capacities for this student government and were literally mandated that [MCSC’s eligibility] go on the agenda,” Fifield said.
To make sure representatives ASM representatives underwent mandatory trainings during Wednesday’s meeting.
Rep. Cale Plamann warned that a violation of viewpoint neutrality could result in a lawsuit.
“If you did anything thing that involved funding and you did it for a political reason, you need to be very very careful,” Plamann warned the council.
In an e-mail sent to council, ASM Chair Allie Gardner said any representative not present for the trainings could be held legally liable for their vote on MCSC’s eligibility.
Plamann said that transparency in determining the group’s eligibility is key.
Also on Thursday’s agenda is legislation proposing a change to student group funding eligibility criteria.
Gardner said the eligibility requirements are meant to provide services on campus, rather than restricting groups from receiving funding, and the new proposal reflects this purpose.
