For the first time since the debate about the funding for
student groups began two years ago, the UCLA administration voiced
concerns that the undergraduate student government’s
guidelines may not be in compliance with University of California
policy earlier this week.
The majority the Undergraduate Students Association Council
members were shocked to find that university officials were
questioning the legitimacy of their bylaws in an announcement made
by Rick Tuttle, an administrative representative to council during
their meeting Tuesday.
Current USAC bylaws prohibit the allocation of funds to student
groups that are religious, political or ideological in nature. Some
councilmembers believe this policy may be in violation with a 1999
U.S. Supreme Court ruling that mandates student government funding
to be allocated on a viewpoint-neutral basis.
Tuttle told the student government he received information
suggesting university officials believed funding policies were not
in compliance with university guidelines. The information, he said,
had come down to him earlier in the week.
Dean of Students Robert Naples said he had instructed Tuttle to
alert USAC of his concerns with their current bylaws.
“I know that USAC has made an effort over the past couple
of years to be in compliance with systemwide policy,” Naples
said. “Recent interpretations suggest that they may not
be.”
The UC Office of the President released its second draft of
guidelines regarding student government funding earlier this month,
which prompted the council to revisit the topic.
Tuttle was firmer in his beliefs that USAC guidelines were in
violation with those of UCOP.
“The laws are not in compliance and that has to be
changed. The full implications of that have to be discussed,”
Tuttle said.
General Representative Josh Lawson proposed an amendment to
change USAC bylaws last quarter, which was postponed until the UCOP
draft was released.
The discrepancy between UCOP policy and USAC’s guidelines
may be a result of a lack of communication within the UC system,
Tuttle said.
Some councilmembers are wary of the administration’s
decision in changing USAC’s guidelines.
“I’m really concerned about what this says about the
role of the administration in policy matters,” said External
Vice President Matt Kaczmarek.
Kaczmarek believes the announcement tied the council’s
hands into making a change rapidly. Unless action is taken
immediately, USAC will be faced with being in violation of UC
policy, he said.
Lawson said he planned to continue bringing this issue to the
table in coming weeks.
Tuttle outlined some of the difficulties that would arise in the
discussions on changing USAC policy.
“There is a great deal of hesitancy about it, hesitancy to
have compulsory fees go to student organizations that are religious
or political in nature. “¦ For years policy has prohibited
this,” he said. “It’s hard to change
that.”
UCOP has been in the process of revising its guidelines since
the Supreme Court decision in 1999. The changes have been in the
works for some time, but so far the process of amending USAC bylaws
has been slow due to continuous debate.
UCLA is currently the only UC campus that does not fund
registered political and religious groups.