The Graduate Student Association is looking to half its
financial support of the University of California’s primary
student lobbying organization despite the possible impact on a
current campaign for graduate aid tax exemptions ““ all while
retaining an increase in its own funds.
Currently, GSA contributes $14,000 per year to the statewide
lobbying UC Student Association. It has proposed to place on the
spring election ballot a referendum that would reduce this
contribution to $7,000.
The referendum, proposed at the Association’s forum
meeting on Wednesday, received overwhelming support from a majority
of members who expressed concern with UCSA’s budget.
During their January meeting, forum members rejected
UCSA’s revised budget proposal, citing that it had failed to
address concerns about the issuing of atypical stipends for its
chair and former vice chair.
If passed, the referendum would affect the current $10 GSA
receives from each graduate student per quarter. From that amount,
50 cents currently going to UCSA would be reduced to 25 cents.
Some members said lowering the contribution might have the
effect of limiting UCSA’s capacity and effectiveness.
“We might not want to be impacting a body that is our
primary means of dealing with the legislature,” said David
Ambroz, forum member from the Law Council.
Hanish Rathod, GSA external vice president, said the cut
“will strap UCSA’s ability to function “¦ It will
put them further in deficit.”
However, the referendum does not require next year’s forum
to lower GSA contribution to UCSA.
The referendum will just give the forum the ability to reduce or
increase the amount of contribution depending on how well it
believes UCSA is fulfilling its duties to graduate students, Rathod
said.
Some forum members said they hoped decreasing contribution will
stimulate changes at UCSA.
While the referendum would significantly reduce the amount of
contribution made by GSA, Rathod said it is important to maintain a
minimum contribution of 25 cents per quarter per student.
He said maintaining membership in UCSA is important because its
infrastructure and equipment “are very beneficial when
dealing with state or national issues like tax
exemptions.”
UCSA is actively supporting the current nationwide campaign to
make academic fellowships and scholarships tax exempt.
On February 19-21, students from campuses across the nation
traveled to Washington, D.C. to garner support for a tax exemption
bill from members of the Senate and House of Representatives. But
with the Congressional spotlight on the pending war with Iraq,
legislative progress has been relatively slow.
And though many senators such as Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.,
have expressed interest in the bill, none have yet committed to
becoming a sponsor.
Some lobbyists are going back to Washington, D.C. to continue
working on securing sponsors and getting the bill introduced on the
floor, Rathod said.
These concerns over graduate student taxes and recent fee
increases prompted a move to prevent increases in graduate student
GSA fee contribution.
A second referendum, drafted by the Engineering Council, would
have frozen student contribution at $10 per quarter instead of a
previously approved increase to $13 per quarter.
“I don’t see any need for students to pay further
dues as long as things are going well with GSA funding of
programs,” said Naser Hamdi of the Engineering Council.
Hamdi said students already have to cope with fee increases. He
added that many engineering students said they feel they do not
benefit from GSA activities.
Many members said an increased budget would allow students to
benefit from more planned activities.
With departments also facing significant budget cuts, the number
of academic activities that they traditionally fund such as
providing speakers might also be reduced, said Marie Parkes, of the
Math and Physical Sciences Council.
A motion was introduced to place this referendum on the election
ballot, but it failed to pass forum vote.