Wardenburg scrambles for budget increases, final decisions pending debate by UCSU Legislative Council
This eleven-part series is an in-depth look into the 2007 University of Colorado Student Union budgeting process. Every year, UCSU is charged with distributing more than $30 million in student fees, controlling more money than any other student body in the nation. This series, running over the two-week period that the budgets sit in the hands of the Legislative Council, will explore the process, the people and the effects of the decisions made by your student leaders.
Although the Wardenburg budget is quickly approaching finalization, Wardenburg employees and health board members say their work is just beginning.
After presenting the budget to the Finance Board, Wardenburg’s monetary fate now lies in the hands of the Legislative Council. Wardenburg is now hard at work trying to convince Legislative Council that CU students need the center’s programs.
UCSU Budgets 2007: CP’s 11-day Series
Part 1 | The budgeting process – How it works
Part 2 | Ups and downs – Tracking the past
Part 3 | A hardline approach – Determined council seeking 0 percent
Part 4 | Rec Center – Unscathed, but for how long?
Part 5 | UMC – Between a rock and a hard place
Part 6 | Wardenburg – Struggling to stay afloat
Part 7 | Ghosts of budgets past – Previous mistakes haunt Wardenburg today
Part 8 | A community responds – Students on their health center
Part 9 | Taking the brunt – Advocates in danger of losing their programs
Part 10 | Life changer or money waster? Controversial alcohol program on the block
Part 11 | In the public eye – Bracing for the $30 million dollar decisions
Upon meeting with the Finance Board, it was proposed that Wardenburg make cuts in the Community Health Program, STARS program and Musculoskeletal program.
Matt Leroue, a junior MCD biology major and junior co-chairman of health board, said these cuts could have serious implications on the future of Wardenburg.
Wardenburg and Legislative Council had their first budget reading March 1. They will follow up with a second hearing on March 15.
Leroue said last Thursday’s meeting was positive, and Legislative Council decided to fund the Musculoskeletal program as well as the CU Rape and Gender Education program, also known as COURAGE, but these were the only ones. Legislative Council did not acknowledge support of the Community Health Program, which Leroue says is a student necessity.
“The Community Health Program is the single hand that reaches from Wardenburg to students,” Leroue said. “They are our No. 1 marketing tool as well.”
Leroue said students would stop recognizing Wardenburg as a health center if programs like Community Health ceased to exist.
Legislative Council President Joe Martinez wrote in an e-mail that the Finance Board has recommended a $25,000 increase from Wardenburg’s 2006 budget. Martinez presently takes no stance on increasing or decreasing that budget. He said he will make a final decision after hearing arguments from Wardenburg and other members of the Legislative Council during debate.
“I am not in favor of or opposed to any changes to that recommendation at this point. I am looking forward to a full debate about this and other issues over the next two weeks,” Martinez wrote.
Despite the proposed $25,000 increase, Wardenburg will still have to cut back on programs and staff.
Robin Kolble, manager of the Community Health Program, said hundreds of CU students attended the meeting last week to show support for Wardenburg and the program.
“These students want their student fees to be spent toward health services,” Kolble said.
The Community Health program is the overriding parent to other programs like sexual health education, the Student Wellness Program and COURAGE. If the budget proceeds the way Finance Board proposed, these programs will be cut along with the Community Health Program.
“They are proposing we cut 60 percent of our budget for the Community Health Program,” Kolble said. “That would be devastating.”
Kolble said a decrease this large would put the Community Health Program at a dead end.
“A 60 percent (decrease) pretty much means we don’t have a program,” Kolble said. “This is a labor-intensive outreach program. We aren’t sitting in the office waiting for students to come to us. We’re out there.”
The elimination of Community Health and other programs will also lead to staff cuts. Kolble said more than half the staff would be displaced. Community Health would also no longer be able to rely on the assistance of student volunteers.
Both Leroue and Kolble agree the current situation Wardenburg faces is due in large part to past mismanagement.
“Wardenburg has made some budget mistakes in the past. We recognize that,” Leroue said.
Wardenburg is now under the direction of Gary Chadwick, who also is the director of the Rec Center. Although there has been a shift in direction, Kolble said Wardenburg is still facing management difficulties.
“Gary Chadwick is doing great, but he realizes he isn’t a medical person, he is a Rec Center person,” Kolble said. “He is trying to manage budget, (but) he doesn’t have background to speak about health promotion.”
However, Leroue said the new management has helped turn Wardenburg in the right direction.
“We are getting back on our feet, and this funding will allow us to do this. We realize that $644,000 is no small amount of money,” Leroue said. “This is a big chunk we need in order to reduce risk in further years.”
Keep checking The Campus Press for coverage of Bob Cranny and his Wardenburg career.
Friday: An abrupt resignation, the increasing cost of medical care – the lead up to Wardenburg’s financial fall.
Stay tuned to thecampuspress.com for continued coverage, live blogs of the Thursday night meetings and breaking developments as they arise.
