The Student Services Finance Committee heard the budget for the Wisconsin Union Thursday, which includes an increase in student segregated fee contribution for maintenance and building upkeep.
The Union proposed a budget of $45,243,000 for the 2013-’14 fiscal year, requesting a 2.2 percent increase from last year, in addition to a $5 fee per student, to address ongoing maintenance and repairs, according to SSFC Chair Ellie Bruecker. If approved, each student would contribute $7.80 to funding the organization through segregated fees.
The Wisconsin Union budget is considered non-allocable funding that is part of non-academic university departments. SSFC hears non-allocable budgets and recommends funding levels, but the budgets are ultimately under the discretion of the university chancellor.
In its decision last year, SSFC voted to freeze the Union’s budget.
However, University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor David Ward approved the Union’s budget.
Associated Students of Madison leadership is currently in negotiations over the decision, which could lead to a lawsuit if a resolution is not reached.
Bruecker said the Union failed to provide enough information to justify the requested increase in funding last year.
“We weren’t comfortable with an increase that wasn’t well explained,” Bruecker said.
Much of the conversation at the meeting included the visible benefits that students would see from an increase in segregated fees.
SSFC Rep. David Vines voiced his concern that not enough of the funding through segregated fees directly served students.
“It seems like there’s a very big gap between the money students spend that’s going directly to students and to student activities and the amount that’s being levied against us,” Vines said.
Bruecker said that while she understands the need for funding the upkeep of the unions, she is concerned students aren’t going to see any additional services.
“I guess that’s what needs to be done but I just hope in the future we don’t see any more $7 per student increases,” Bruecker said.
Union representatives responded by saying much of the budget goes toward maintenance and upkeep of their facilities that serve tens of thousands of students each day.
SSFC will vote on the budget at its next meeting Thursday.
