Segregated fees are where we need to go if we need more funds.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union Policy Board (UPB) approved the Union budget for 2007-08 with a 12 percent increase in salaries on Feb. 19.

The increase will be covered by a $1.10 raise in segregated fees paid by students from last years budget.

The increase will cover the creation of two new positions within the Union staff, as well as pay raises for other positions. This means that the Unions salary budget is expected to increase by a total of 12 percent.

The two new positions that will be funded as a result of this will be a Union building manager for nights and weekends and a grounds supervisor for the Union.

The budget was approved almost unanimously with only UPB Vice-Chair Russel Scott voting against approval.

Im looking out for all students, not just the ones who work in the Union, Scott said.

Scotts said he felt the 12 percent increase in salaries was too high.

A lot of our students are cash-strapped and in debt, Scott said.

Scott said that he supports the idea of the two new positions within the Union staff, but that the Union could have used money in its reserves fund to pay for the increase in revenue.

UWM Union Director Scott Gore said the increase is covering more than just additional salary. Fringe benefits, utilities, supplies and expenses are also increasing. Gore said that the increase in use of segregated fees is consistent with the cost of doing business in the upcoming year.

Segregated fees are where we need to go if we need more funds, Gore said at the meeting.

Auxiliary Services Financial Manager Cindy Wirtz said that the segregated fee hike is necessary, and that spending money from the Unions reserves to cover increased cash balances and interest rates would not be sound financially.

If you take money from reserves, then your balances go down and your expenses go down, Wirtz said. We have to fund any increase. If increases arent funded, you can wind up spending more money than youre taking in.

Wirtz added that the money in reserves is used to fund major projects in the Union and that if reserve money was used in this budget, segregated fees would have to increase further to pay for any future projects or renovations.

The next UPB meeting will be Wednesday, March 7.

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