Student, faculty and legislative leaders held a press conference Thursday urging the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents to reconsider UW-Madison Chancellor David Ward’s decision to deny Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group its full requested funding for the second-consecutive year.
The press conference, led by WISPIRG board members, highlighted the organization’s work on campus and gave WISPIRG advocates including ASM representatives, UW-Madison faculty and state legislators, the chance to voice support for the student organization’s funding.
Ward recently denied WISPIRG funding for professional staff for the 2013-’14 funding year, despite budget approval from the Student Service Finance Committee, which allocates student fees. However, the chancellor must give final approval to all student organization budgets.
SSFC Chair Ellie Bruecker filed an appeal of this decision last week with the regents, hoping the board will overrule his decision.
Ward’s decision has garnered criticism throughout campus, including from ASM Rep. Maxwell John Love, who said the chancellor is acting against the voice of the student body.
“It is disappointing to see that the chancellor does not have faith in our decision making capabilities,” Love said.
In a March statement, Ward defended his decision not to allocate funding for non-university staff with student segregated fees, citing the UW System policy F50, which governs the distribution of student segregated fees. Ward said the student government needs to identify the need for staff services and then request contract approval under this policy, rather than seeking funding through SSFC.
Since then WISPIRG has received support from over 10 percent of the student body, over 100 university faculty members and 20 student organizations.
UW-Madison professor of sociology Chad Goldberg said he stands in support of the appeal because Ward’s decision sets a “poor example” and harms the university’s reputation.
“[Ward’s] refusal to approve WISPIRG funding in full erodes the democratic rights and freedoms of students on campus,” Goldberg said.
State Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, said she also supported students’ authority to make decisions regarding their own fees.
“It’s really important that we understand that if the university takes away the control of our students, of their segregated funds, and of their voice, then that’s a complete disservice to our city, to our state and to our country,” Sargent said.
WISPIRG currently awaits the regents’ approval of their appeal to overturn Ward’s decision.
