Though the 2004-2005 base budget allocations were recently
approved by the Undergraduate Students Association Council, the
funding process may not be over yet.
For this year’s allocations, 42 of the 134 groups who
applied were denied funding, and a number of groups have already
made the decision to appeal the process. A few groups are also
planning to join together in hopes to increase their chances of
obtaining more money.
Jon Binney, a leader of Robotics Project and Eta Kappa Nu,
neither of which received funding, has joined leaders from other
groups to appeal. He believes the interpretation of the criteria
used to allocate funds is too subjective and tends to vary from
year to year. USAC bylaws state that in order to receive funding,
groups need to provide programming that includes the campus as a
whole and also promotes discussion.
Eta Kappa Nu, an electrical and computer engineering honor
society, has received base funding in the past ““ more than
$2,000 worth.
Binney explained that the group’s programming has not
changed and the application was also extremely similar to that of
previous years.
Unlike this inconsistency in funding, the groups who receive the
biggest portions of the budget have remained largely the same in
the past years.
MEChA, which received the highest allocation, is one of those
groups.
Andy Ramirez, chairman of the organization, believes that what
sets his group apart from the rest is their history and consistent
programming.
Previously, there has been speculation about MEChA receiving
generous funding as a result of their close ties to the Students
First! slate, which has been dominating the council in recent
history.
Ramirez disagreed and said, “(The review committee) was
tougher on us because we had to make sure that people
couldn’t say that.”
Criticisms about the base budget process are nothing new.
Last year, the Jewish Student Union voiced their concerns with
their own allocations and also the process as a whole. The group
took their case to the Judicial Board for reconsideration but was
rejected.
JSU president Andy Green said that with the budget opened to all
groups, this year’s process was very different and a lot
better as a whole.
“Also, because maximum allocation was lower, there was
more equitable distribution between groups that applied,” he
added.
Despite what many believe is a step in the right direction, UCLA
Greeks still believe that they are being left out of the
process.
Tracy Ohara, Budget Review Director, believes that most Greeks
do not qualify for funding since their programming is
exclusive.
Gamma Phi Beta president Stacy Miles disagrees and said her
house provides programming that is open to the campus. She added
that all groups will naturally have more programming for their
members.
Gamma Phi Beta received no funding, and Miles has plans to
appeal the decision.