On Monday evening, the Student Services Finance Committee was supposed to decide the Multicultural Student Coalition budget. After more than three hours of debate and amendments, SSFC decided to postpone the final budget decision until Wednesday evening.

There were several reasons the final decision was postponed, the most disconcerting reason being the behavior of some members of the SSFC and, to a greater extent, the behavior of members of MCSC and the audience. Members were called names, intimidated by glances, and some members of the SSFC were even nervous about walking home alone after the meeting. This type of behavior existed at last year’s SSFC hearing as well, and it is completely unacceptable.

Intimidation and name-calling should not be the means any group uses to receive funds. Indeed, SSFC Chair Aaron Werner had to warn individuals on numerous occasions to stop unruly behavior, and we hope he follows through on his commitment to not allow such behavior at Wednesday’s hearing.

Another reason the budget decision was postponed was because of the speed with which MCSC gave SSFC members additional budget information SSFC needed to make their decision. SSFC’s request for more information was made at the budget hearing, five days before the decision was to be made. Less than one hour before Monday night’s meeting, MCSC finally e-mailed SSFC members a 24-page packet of information. This tactic resulted in no time for committee members to thoroughly review the new information.

We have to applaud SSFC for their work thus far. Cutting $170,849.20 from MCSC’s budget request is a wonderful start; however, the budget is still full of fat that we hope will be cut. For example, MCSC currently has 14 computers, but claims it needs seven more because they house five of their 14 computers at the Red Gym, rather than their plush North Henry Street office. No one forces MCSC to keep computers in the Red Gym, which even has a computer lab that any student or student organization can access.

MCSC is asking for 30 staff members. The Journalism department only has approximately 25 faculty and staff members. MCSC does not need more staff members than a department that educates approximately 500 students and grants degrees.

Every department on this campus with the exception of the UW Police was forced to take a budget cut. Organizations like MCSC should be cut in these tight fiscal times as well. A little maturity at the budget hearing would not hurt either.