As UCLA’s undergraduate student government tries to levy a
fee to increase funding for itself and student groups, student
officials and other students have raised concerns about where
exactly the money is going.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council is proposing a
referendum that would increase its student-collected fee from
$24.09 to $33.34 per quarter. It goes up for an online vote Oct.
30-31.
If the item passes, the money generated would go toward the
campus activities committee, a general USAC fund and a student
programming fund. Funds will also go to five council offices
““ campus events, community service, cultural affairs,
external vice president and student welfare.
President David Dahle said council is “teetering on the
brink of financial despair,” as USAC has about $30,000 less
in programming funds because of increased overhead costs.
The council members slated to receive the estimated $200,000 in
additional funds said their offices need the money to keep student
programming at current levels and to provide for expansion. Also,
student groups received that received cuts in funding could recover
some of the lost money through the referendum.
Chris Diaz, USAC academic affairs commissioner, said his office
objects to the rigid funding distribution to the council offices.
He argued that if student groups are going to have to reapply to
increase their allocated budgets, then council offices should be
subject to the same process.
“We should be having deeper discussions than the ones we
are having,” Diaz said.
Some students said the $27.75 yearly fee increase would be
marginal in relation to the total amount of fees students pay to
the university.
“I don’t think it would be that much worse,”
said third-year biology student Laura Gorman.
She added that though she’s not familiar with where the
money would go, the additional fee could be a burden for students
struggling to pay for school.