In tonight’s meeting, the Student Services Finance Committee debated RecWell’s proposed 2022 budget, centering around RecWell’s request for an additional $1.20 in segregated student fees.
They also voted to approve the Wisconsin Union’s 2022 budget.
According to RecWell Director Aaron Hobson, the COVID-19 pandemic has been financially difficult for RecWell. In fiscal year 2021, RecWell had projected that they’d make $2.1 million dollars in Alternative Funding money from sources such as summer youth camps and community gym memberships Hobson said. Instead, they ended up spending $164,200 to refund such sources.
Hobson said although RecWell would use the proposed increase to keep their budget neutral, 40% of any segregated fee funding would go to RecWell student-worker salaries.
The Student Services Finance Committee discussed budgets for the Wisconsin Union, the Campus Women’s Center and the Greater University Tutoring Services Monday night.
The SSFC heard the Wisconsin Union’s budget for the fiscal year of 2021-22. The Union requested a $47.1 million operating budget, which is a 1% increase from their previous budget.
Representatives of the Union said they are planning to implement a $1 raise for student employees and a 2% raise for permanent employees. The Union is reportedly working to gradually raise wages for student employees up to $15 an hour.
The representatives also said the Union is working to operate at pre-pandemic levels, which plays into the budget increase as well. SSFC will discuss and vote on the Union’s proposed budget at Thursday’s SSFC meeting.