At the second Undergraduate Students Association Council meeting of the quarter, USAC councilmembers made a momentous decision, setting an amazing precedent for student organizations on campus and the future of student organizing programs.
As a group of concerned students, we came to the USAC meeting because we felt that the allocation of $78,500 of surplus money to councilmember initiatives was an irresponsible and corrupt decision, especially considering that only left $73,500 of the surplus to be divided among all student organizations.
While we feel that councilmember initiatives have some importance, we also feel that the sustainability of student programming is a vital part of the UCLA campus experience, especially in promoting the diversity of the UCLA student body.
But more importantly, the decision to allocate surplus funds internally is a clear message to the campus: councilmember initiatives take priority over all student groups.
USAC rightly took our concerns to heart and made room to discuss the issue of surplus money during the meeting. But the council remained silent on the real issue of abuse of power and the need to right their wrong. Because the council continued to overlook these issues, we students stayed in the room to continue to put pressure on them; we would not back down.
The concern is for the student body, not just for our own organizations. We want to see many events, student-initiated and student-run, grow into successful and long-lasting events. We must always put students first in these decisions.
Although the council unanimously voted to overturn their initial decision and return 100 percent of the funds because they couldn’t “ignore the students in the room,” the ordeal could have been prevented if they had kept the students in mind while initially voting last week. The motion to return 100 percent of the funds will double the funding pool for student programming.
Although this is merely a Band-Aid for the annual struggle for sufficient student funds, the councilmembers’ decision is one that will certainly, in the short term, allow students groups to continue with their events without worrying about more cuts. There is still more work to be done on campus to make these funds fair and accessible for all students. We must hold our campus accountable and transparent. Otherwise, there will be no future for student organizations on campus.
Tonight proved that the power of the students is not dead; we must always speak out when there is injustice, even to those who come from our own communities. This will be the first of many decisions to empower and support the student body. We are always watching. And we will always speak out. Let this meeting be a reminder of the importance of honesty and integrity. USAC has a responsibility to the students that put them there.
Tilman Gonnie
President
American indian Student Association
Uyen Hoang
Director
Asian Pacific Coalition
Anh Nguyen
President
Vietnamese Student Union
Live Maluia
President
Pacific Islands’ Student Association