Correction appended
If the issue is not settled this term, next year’s
undergraduate student government will continue to discuss problems
regarding the funding of student groups on campus.
Issues surrounding the Undergraduate Students Association
Council’s funding process include the bylaws not agreeing
with University of California regulations, funding not being
available to all groups, the system by which need is determined and
the influence of slates.
“If things are not changed by the time we are elected, it
will be the first thing we will work on,” said Alex
Gruenberg, Equal Access Coalition candidate for financial supports
commissioner.
Gruenberg believes that all groups should be able have a chance
to obtain funds from USAC.
“The process is being stalled,” he said.
Jenny Wood, Students First! candidate for general
representative, explained that the current council is working with
the Center for Student Programming to change the bylaws for
becoming an officially recognized group and that she hopes to
continue this effort.
“We try to open funding through the root of the
problem,” Wood said.
Current USAC bylaws state that all officially recognized student
organizations are eligible to apply for funds.
To become an officially recognized group, a group needs to have
a constitution, three signatories, a faculty sponsor, and abide by
a non-discriminatory clause.
The problem with providing funding solely to the officially
recognized groups is that it may violate the regulations of the
University of California Office of the President and a 1999 U.S.
Supreme Court ruling.
The court ruled that student governments could not allocate
funds based on the viewpoint of the recipient group.
According to UCOP policy, all registered campus organizations
should get funding.
To eliminate this possible discrepancy, the UCLA administration
has gotten involved.
The next official step is for a discussion to occur between
university administrators, attorneys of UCOP and student leaders,
said Dean of Students Robert Naples.
He said the goal is to be in full compliance with the UCOP
policies, and hopefully changes will be made by the beginning of
the next funding cycle.
Genevieve Espinosa, Students First! candidate for internal vice
president, said there are a lot of misconceptions about
funding.
She said it is USAC’s responsibility to provide funding to
all officially recognized groups.
Espinosa said the funding guidelines of USAC don’t change
year to year, and that it is not the guidelines but the
organizations’ ability to get official status that is
stopping all groups from obtaining funding.
Andy Green, Equal Access Coalition candidate for general
representative, said there is no good reason for a distinction to
exist between different groups when it comes to granting them
funds.
Green does not agree with the current policies and said it is
the student government’s responsibility to support every
student group on campus.
If appointed to office, Green plans to put together a report
that will show how other large universities and other UC student
governments handle funding to their student groups.
“The ultimate problem with the point system is that the
points don’t have meaning,” Green said, referring to
the current system of determining the eligibility of groups.
He added that he would like to look into standardizing the
system.
Another issue that has been brought up is the relationship
between slates and the amount of money granted to groups.
There have been allegations made regarding unfair allocation of
funds based on the slate they support.
Green said when student groups support a slate, it works to
their advantage and added that his slate seeks to change that.
Green said he believes the funding practices of the current
government are corrupt and are an attempt to keep others out of the
system.
Espinosa said the current council is objective and if a group
feels that their share is unfair, they can submit a complaint to
the budget review committee.
“The slates should not have influence. … It’s an
open and transparent process,” said added.
Correction: May 10, 2004, Monday
General representative candidates are elected, not appointed, to
office.