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Editorial: USAC surplus fund must serve majority

By Daily Bruin Staff

March 31, 2010 9:35 p.m.

The Covel tutorial programs are coming back next year.

The tutorials were suspended last year because of budget cuts, but the combined efforts of the university and the Undergraduate Students Association Council have ensured the program’s continuation for the next three years. The university has committed to providing $40,000 for each year, and USAC allocated $20,000 of its surplus fund to the cause.

The tutorials will greatly benefit the undergraduate community, especially English as a second language students who do not currently have tutors trained to assist them. The program will also remove some of the burden from the many graduate students teaching undergraduates who need tutors to coach them on their writing.

This board commends USAC for promptly helping to restore a valuable service ““ as it did with Night Powell last fall. It’s unfortunate that the funding is only guaranteed for three years and that a stable source of funding hasn’t been secured, but we’ll take what we can get in this financial climate.

However, we can’t help but question USAC’s priorities and its commitment to the student body as a whole rather than to the councilmembers’ own favored programs.

During USAC’s final meeting of winter quarter, allocation of its surplus fund was on the agenda.

We understand that a surplus fund is meant for emergencies, but the extended debate about the fund’s usage primarily for USAC-specific projects illustrates not fiduciary obligation, but a disregard for the concerns of the greater community. It’s unacceptable, therefore, that in a room of 12 student representatives, only a few voices sought to represent the interests of many.

According to the March 2 minutes, Community Service Commissioner Farhan Banani said he disagreed with the way funds were being requested. He said the council should not take out money as a form of special privilege at the exclusion of other student groups. Officers should be held to the same procedures as other student organizations seeking funding and should not use their positions to secure university money.

True enough, funding for programs like BruINTENT, USSA Congress and Covel Writing Tutorials all passed unanimously. However, especially in these financially sensitive times, USAC must be held to a greater level of scrutiny when it comes to prioritizing budget allocations. While not slighting any of the programs that received funding, we hold that funding is not always allocated to where it is needed most.

This board advocates USAC’s agency, but from this agency must come adjustments that account for more pressing issues. If anything, USAC can start by drafting a list of priorities. They seem to be pretty good at that.

Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board.

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