Most student groups that will be funded by the undergraduate
student government for the first time this year plan on using a
majority of the money for programming.
About $30,000 became available for distribution among new groups
after the passage of the online fee referendum last quarter that
injected the USAC budget with an additional $144,420.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council voted last week
to increase the funds that new groups ““ previously unfunded
by the council ““ would receive, against the recommendation of
the council’s head budget consultants.
Council’s vote to raise the cap for new groups from $2,000
to $4,000 was a boost that most groups said they needed.
Evan Okamura, president of the newly-funded Nikkei Student
Union, mentioned his club wasn’t in a good financial
situation earlier this year and the new funds will be used for
events ranging from food preparation nights to cultural shows.
About a quarter of the funds will be used for the production of
the group’s culture night, Okamura said. The event, set for
April, will feature the performance of a contemporary drama,
Japanese folk tale and traditional and modern dance.
Funds will also be used for advertising, retreats and
conferences, Okamura said, adding that he plans to use the entire
$4,000 allocated to his group.
Leaders of other groups said the money will be used to increase
their effectiveness in programs like voting drives and
outreach.
“We needed (funds) pretty badly,” said Anwer Khan,
president of the Association of Chinese Americans.
Funds affect the quality and impact of the club’s
programs, Khan said.
Though the funds were allocated to the ACA after one of their
main events, the culture show, had already occurred, Khan said the
money will still be used for various community service events.
Out of the maximum $4,000 that was allocated to the group, Khan
said they will use “as much as is necessary.”
Any of the money that the groups do not use will go toward the
USAC surplus, said Budget Review Committee Director Justin
Levi.
Dana Shayegan, one of the directors of the UCLA Jazz and Reggae
Festival, said the group had a “huge need” for funds to
coordinate the festival, which he said was the second-largest
student-run event in the nation. The group received $3,400.
The funds will be especially useful in the face of the
state’s economic downturn when it’s difficult to find
sponsors, Shayegan said.
But with the allocation of the new funds, there is concern that
some groups might be receiving more funds than they need.
Russian Club President Julia Entina said her club runs on a
budget of about $1,200 but is being allocated $1,489.35 ““ all
the money they requested.
As one of USAC’s primary budget consultants, Levi argued
that council’s vote to double new groups’ caps without
reviewing their applications themselves ““ the original
process was conducted by the BRC ““ was dangerous.
Levi said no groups were completely denied funding, and most
groups received everything they requested, up to the $4,000
cap.
“Giving a group everything they asked for … is setting a
bad precedent,” Levi said.
But most councilmembers said the boost new groups received was
fair and deserved.
“We have a lot of money we’re not expecting, and
we’re getting it to groups in a fair manner,” said
General Representative Adam Harmetz.