News
Women’s Resource Center fighting for resources
The Pointer
kleb524@uwsp.edu
After going through the appeals process with the finance committee and Senate of the Student Government Association, the Women’s Resource Center must wait a few more days to see if they will receive their requested funding. The WRC is undergoing an appeals process to fund their volunteer coordinator position for the upcoming academic year on the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point.
The denial by the finance committee prompted the appeal to Senate, who is responsible for approving each budget, through the approval of the finance committee’s minutes.
On Thursday, April 17, the Senate voted to table the issue for another week for the purpose of deliberation.
“Next [week] we’ll be able to come and really look at them from a more informed perspective,” said Speaker of the Senate Jenn Boyd. “Senate should be able to do the research and not just do this flippantly.”
The WRC has been denied funding after appealing to the finance committee that they had made an administrative error. This error was thought to be made by believing there was an overlap in the positions of outreach coordinator and volunteer coordinator. Positions were cut due to “duplicate services.”
“I don‘t think the finance committee truly understood the scope of both the positions,” said WRC Executive Coordinator Margie Roche. “They do very different work and already work far more hours than they are paid for, and we still aren‘t able to provide all the services we would like.”
Some confusion comes from a misunderstanding between two positions on campus with relatively the same name, explained Student Involvement and Employment Office Volunteer Coordinator Rachelle Fawcett.
Fawcett stated that her position is to make connections with outside organizations, including United Way and other social services that are mostly non-profit. She works to get organizations to sponsor volunteer events and send out a monthly newsletter discussing upcoming events.
In contrast, Fawcett said the WRC is responsible for finding their own volunteers for all programs including annual events of the “Vagina Monologues” and Take Back the Night. The volunteer coordinator for WRC also staffs the WRC whenever another employee is unable to be present and providing services to individuals seeking help.
“The WRC already runs on [the] bare minimum, and I personally find it suspicious that such an established and publicly functioning student organization was denied funding,” said Fawcett. “I am grossly disappointed in my Student Senate for this issue, and it leads me to be very concerned about other choices they are making on behalf of students at this university.”
Not funding the position would have a dramatic effect on the other coordinators said Outreach Coordinator Clarissa McCann.
“It would be near impossible for me and the one other coordinator to give this campus all the programming and services that we have been for years without the volunteer coordinator,” said McCann. “It is a lot of work. This job is life consuming and has me running around everyday.”
The next Senate meeting will take place on Thursday, April 24 at 6:00 p.m. in The Legacy Room. The public is welcome to attend.
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