Aaron Vehling

Two of the three UW-Eau Claire organizations appealing their segregated fee allocations gained additional funding from the Student Senate Finance Commission Wednesday during a two-hour appeals meeting.

Student Health Services and International Activities left the meeting with additional funding while the appeal from WUEC Radio was denied.

Senate will finalize the allocations at its second meeting next semester, Finance Director Chad Wade said.

“We’re just happy. We’ll be able to do our regular thing,” International student adviser Phil Huelsbeck said Friday.

International Activities relies heavily upon volunteer work, he said, adding that the most recent Folk Fair made use of more than 200 volunteers whose “hearts are just in the right place.”

International Activities won its appeal for $750, Wade said.

“It was a large chunk of their allocation,” Wade said. The total allocation to International Activities is now $14,900.

Huelsbeck said the appealed money will go back to its rightful place – the students.

An appeal by WUEC Radio was denied during the meeting. It will receive $26,500 after its initial request of $36,000.

“I thought this is kind of the wrong time to chokehold WUEC funds,” said Karen Kremer, an adviser to the organization who deals primarily with budget matters.

“I think what’s not getting the attention that maybe it deserves are the positive sides that WUEC has shown,” she said.

Kremer pointed to increased student involvement in the last few years. Last year saw 17 students at WUEC, many more than in previous years.

“(My presentation) pointed item by item what it takes to keep the studio open, and there’s nowhere else to cut,” Kremer said. “That was pretty much it.”

With its failed appeal for finances, Kremer said changes would have to be made in the organization. A grant could be applied for, she said, but typically such grants are granted for projects, not merely keeping the lights on.

Nor can WUEC seek advertising income because of its nonprofit status, Kremer said.

Health Services, however, walked away from the appeals with more funds than originally granted.

The organization received an additional $15,000, Wade said. The final figure Senate will vote upon is $930,000.

“We fully funded Health Services, except for debt (relief),” he said.

The latest Health Services figures show the organization will run about $60,000 deficit at the end of this fiscal year, Wade said.

Despite multiple attempts by Health Services director Laura Chellman, The Spectator could not reach her for comment during the weekend. Total requested allocations for organized activities for 2004-05 totaled $2,490,462.

After the appeals meetings, the final amount Senate will vote upon is $2,412,125.