Student Services Finance Committee Chair Sarah Neibart froze the Multicultural Student Coalition’s funding Thursday after learning the group allegedly violated university policy, in turn breaking student government bylaws.
According to an e-mail Neibart sent to MCSC, the group allegedly violated the same university and state purchasing policy four times through contracts they brought to Dean of Students Lori Berquam Wednesday.
The Associated Students of Madison bylaws state that four violations of the same rule result in a 52-week freeze in funding, which could carry over into the next fiscal year.
SSFC members declined to comment on the specific nature of the violations until their meeting Monday.
Neibart said SSFC could overrule her decision to freeze the group’s funding with a three-fourths majority vote.
SSFC will decide Monday if the alleged policy violations were intentional, which would render MCSC ineligible for funding through student fees for the next two years.
Student council is set to determine if MCSC is eligible for funding for the next fiscal year early this week. SSFC ruled the group ineligible last fall, saying it does not spend more than half its time directly serving students.
After the Student Judiciary upheld the decision, MCSC appealed to Chancellor David Ward, who sent the final decision to student council.
While ASM was originally set to decide on the group’s budget after hearing its eligibility pitch last Wednesday, council pushed off the ruling after learning “new developments” had arisen that could influence MCSC’s eligibility.
The Daily Cardinal was unable to reach MCSC members for comment.
