The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s clubs and organizations will not be affected by the recent budget crisis, according to Oshkosh Student Association speaker of the assembly Ellen Dodge.

The plan is to restructure the UW System by merging UW-Fox Valley and UW-Fond du Lac with their nearest four-year campus: UW Oshkosh. Currently, nothing is finalized surrounding the after effects of the restructuring and the budget crisis itself will not be affecting clubs and organizations.

Dodge said students often mix up the two concerns of the University at the moment.

“The big thing that students need to keep in mind is that the budget crisis, as we’re calling it, and the restructuring are two completely different things,” Dodge said.

Dodge said the future of clubs and organizations looks promising after talking to UWO Chancellor Andrew Leavitt.

“From the conversations I’ve personally had with Chancellor Leavitt, and being on the chancellor’s advisory committee, he has mentioned that all the [segregated] fees will stay the same as of right now,” Dodge said.

Dodge said the students shouldn’t be so upset about the recent changes.

“I honestly don’t think students should be worried because, really, the worst thing that could happen is that clubs and organizations can’t get recognized,” Dodge said. “But in the past seven years, there hasn’t been a single organization that has been denied recognition by assembly or senate.”

UWO Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cheryl Green said student income is generated for organizations through segregated fee money, which every student pays to contribute toward enhanced services and activities for students.

“The division of student affairs is committed to being creative, being flexible and being as innovative as possible to maintain the level of service and programming excellence that we have a tradition of providing,” Green said. “It’s not just how we solve the fiscal problems, but how do we maintain the level of service and excellence that were accustomed to for our students.”

Dodge said she understands that students are wanting more answers, but she can’t give out a lot of information.

“I try to be as transparent to the clubs and organizations as I can be, even through right now I can’t give them any direct answers with everything being up in the air, but I know for a fact that multiple students are not happy with this,” Dodge said.

Green said as an adviser for OSA, she loves making sure students have every opportunity to have fun, be recreational and get prepared for the world of work, but there comes a time when regulations can restrict that.

“There is a lot of discussion and a lot of concern, but I think everybody realizes that were all a part of the solution,” Green said. “It has to be a solution where everybody has some skin in the game, helping to solve the problem because its a problem that affects all of us.