The Associated Students of Madison Student Council approved its 2016 fiscal year budget Wednesday, which totaled $1,400,514.70.
ASM Vice Chair Derek Field proposed funding for a campus Food Pantry program through which low-income students could obtain food.
The Food Pantry proposal, similar to a currently successful program at UW-Stevens Point, added two lines to the budget: an Operational Expense line of $3,000 and a Student Staff line of $19,115.20, to provide for the pantry start-up.
ASM Chair Genevieve Carter supported the proposal, explaining that addressing the concerns of food-insecure students on campus is important for Council.
“This is a good faith effort by this body to try to address those very real problems for students on this campus,” Carter said.
Field added that the pantry would be an opportunity for ASM to connect with student organizations and other campus departments. Council members ultimately approved the allocation.
Representative Steven Hughes also made a motion to strike the budget line regarding United States Student Association membership.
Hughes said he feels the student advocacy association has not done anything in the past three months to justify ASM’s continued membership, which he said makes the line a waste of money.
USSA representative and UW-Madison student Hannah Kinsella described how her role in the association provides a connection between students on campus and national campaigns.
Representative Megan Phillips also voiced her thoughts on the importance of USSA membership, saying it promotes a variety of opportunities for students.
“This is really the best way we can be engaged at a national level,” Phillips said.
The motion to remove USSA’s membership did not pass.
In another move, University Affairs Chair John Paetsch motioned to strike the budget line for Finance Committee stipends, an area introduced for the first time in the 2016 budget.
Paetsch explained that in the Student Services Finance Committee, stipends were introduced to improve attendance, but he saw no issue with attendance in the Finance Committee. The motion was carried.
Council also increased the Rape Crisis Center contract from $60,000 to $100,000.
The proposed budget will be brought to SSFC for review and then will sent back to Student Council for final approval Dec. 3.
