As some of you may have read in the Badger Herald this morning, the Editorial Board issued a scathing review of the ASM Budget – particularly the $100,000 for “Alumni Training” which Brandon decried yesterday.
Perhaps one of the most face-palmingly frustrating items is the proposed “training from alumni.” Total training and orientation appropriations approved for the current session of ASM total $7,250. The Coordinating Council’s proposed budget maintains current funding for ASM’s various bodies, but tacks on the aforementioned alumni item to the tune of $100,000 — a 1,379 percent increase.
As stated in the editorial, we pay professional staff to do this. We are members of United Council partially because of the trainings that they provide. A main argument to join USSA is to have access to their trainings.
This is wasteful and potentially criminal spending that is a slap in the face to students who will not see the benefits of trainings upon trainings but will be footing the bill.
I urge everyone to be informed about this issue as ASM Student Council prepares to vote on the Budget tonight. Let us hope that more reasonable minds and arguments prevail.