USAC temporarily freezes all accounts
By Daily Bruin Staff
Aug. 20, 2000 9:00 p.m.
By Linh Tat
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
After approving most of its base budget for the new fiscal year
on Aug. 8, the Undergraduate Students Association Council voted to
freeze all accounts Aug. 15.
Jerry Mann, director of Student Union, said USAC’s
decision to freeze all accounts was only a cautious measure while
it finalizes its budget, but he does not anticipate it affecting
student advocacy groups during the summer.
“USAC decided to act conservatively so that there’d
be no danger of money not being spent correctly,” he
said.
While some members expressed concern that freezing accounts
would prevent SAGs from functioning in the meantime, Mann said many
groups are inactive during the summer anyway and the only bills
they pay are for telephone services.
“USAC as a whole bears the responsibility of each phone
bill,” Mann said. “Bottom line, everyone will receive
an operational budget that will keep their doors open.”
In a close decision, broken by one vote, council approved
freezing all accounts until its next meeting on Aug. 29.
Before freezing the accounts, USAC approved budgets for the
Interfraternity Council and Jewish Student Union and appointed four
more students to various boards or committees.
USAC appointed Adam Hunt, Joe Manko and Matthew Dean Kaczemarck
to the Associated Students of UCLA Communications Board, ASUCLA
Board of Directors, and Student Fee Advisory Committee,
respectively. It also appointed Jessica Alvarado as the Community
Service Mini Fund Committee Chair.
The council also approved budgets for IFC and JSU.
After the Budget Review Committee recommended a $1,840 base
budget for IFC at the Aug. 8 meeting, some USAC members questioned
why the group should receive three times its budget from the
previous year.
According to USAC bylaws, council must allocate funding based on
a group’s need for the current year without looking at that
group’s past performances.
“It’s this year’s proposal that counts, not
last year’s budget,” Mann said to council.
After reviewing IFC’s budget proposal, council voted
unanimously on Aug. 15 to approve BRC’s recommendation.
USAC also voted to increase JSU’s recommended budget of
$800 to $1,400, with the extra money coming from funds set aside
for the Elections Board.
Because JSU President Al Tsarovsky could not attend the
group’s hearing in June due to a family emergency, the BRC
was forced to allocate funding without having all its questions
answered, said BRC Director Marykay Tsuji. That resulted in JSU
receiving only $800.
Nevertheless, council voted to increase JSU’s budget.
Several council members pointed out that JSU has historically
provided successful programs and that should be taken into
consideration.
Immediately following council’s decision, Lyle Timmerman,
USAC administrative representative, raised concerns about whether
USAC followed current guidelines for allocating funds.
Mann later pointed out that Article II of USAC’s bylaws,
last revised on May 30, mentions “sponsorship” of
student groups, which violates University of California
guidelines.
“The way USAC sponsors its groups is no longer in
compliance with the guidelines issued by the UC because they
directly reference content-based criteria for sponsoring
groups,” he said.
According to guidelines set by the UC, allocation of funds
acquired through compulsory student fees must be determined on a
content-neutral basis.
UC revised its guidelines in October 1999 following two other
lawsuits at other schools. In 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled
the University of Virginia could not refuse funding a religious
student magazine.
This past spring, in the case of the University of Wisconsin v.
Southworth, the Supreme Court ruled it constitutional for the
university to allocate segregated fees as long as it is done on a
content-neutral basis.
“Both of these reaffirmed the need for content-neutral
funding,” Mann said.
But some council members defended their decision to increase
JSU’s budget.
“We couldn’t increase it by $1,000 or $2,000. We
couldn’t set that precedent,” said USAC Vice President
Elias Enciso. “But $600 wasn’t too much
money.”
Timmerman also questioned why four SAGs ““ making up
one-fifth of student groups ““ received 40 percent of total
funds.
The African Student Union, Asian Pacific Coalition and Samahang
Pilipino received the most funding of any SAG, with each group
allocated $8,990. MEChA also received $8,590. In contrast, the five
groups granted the lowest amount received a total of $7,840
altogether.
“When I asked this question, there have been no good
answers forthcoming,” Timmerman said at the meeting.
“The answers that have been given have not demonstrated
that guidelines have been complied with,” he said.
According to Tsuji, the BRC considered factors such as a
group’s programs, budget proposal and presentation at the
hearing when determining funds.
“We did the best that we could,” Tsuji said, adding
she agrees council should clarify its guidelines.
“If USAC doesn’t define what content-neutral means,
it’s going to be more difficult in the future,” she
said.
Timmerman suggested the council consider realigning the budgets
or provide proof that USAC allocated funding fairly. He said he was
concerned that SAGs applying for funding did not receive any notice
outlining the BRC’s criteria for funding before entering
their hearings and that no minutes were taken at the hearings.
USAC President Elizabeth Houston then said she wished to freeze
all accounts until council had a chance to review its process for
allocating funds and to determine a final base.
“We’re freezing the accounts not because we
don’t trust the SAGs, but it’s primarily for the
protection of them,” Houston said. “If they spend a
penny and they don’t know the situation, it will just
complicate matters more.”
An ad hoc committee of council members met with Timmerman the
next day to review the process. They are scheduled to meet again
sometime this week.
USAC COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS USAC appoints
students to various committees that oversee or offer advice on
funding for UCLA programs. BOARD/COMMITTEE Â Â Â
APPOINTEES Â Â Â BOARD/COMMITTEE DESCRIPTION ASUCLA
Board of Directors Phyllus Feng* Joe Manko* Xochitl Manquez Kei
Nagao Votes on decisions about the student stores and restaurants;
members serve two-year terms. ASUCLA Communications board Arshad
Ali Keidrick Cole Adam Hunt* Promotes and advances student media
such as the Daily Bruin, KLA, BruinLife and other news magazines;
members serve two-year terms. Community Service MiniFund Committee
Chair Jessica Alvarado* Chair serves as budget director; committee
funds community service programs; members serve one-year terms.
Student Fee Advisory Committee Matthew Dean Kaczemarck* Karren Kane
Merrick Pascual* Vanessa Sifuentes* Provides advice and student
input regarding use of student fees; members serve two-year terms.
*indicates newly appointed members this summer SOURCE:
USAC Appointments Review Committee Original graphic by JACOB
LIAO/Daily Bruin Web adaptation by CHRISTINE TAN
