Fiefdom: $3.8 million
Soapbox: Endless Reforendums
Offense: Benefitting the few at the expense of the many
Question: So…can I get a scholarship too?
In the March 2009 issue of The Bruin Standard, our Academian Nut was described as being “like the peanut” of the bunch. For this edition of our feature, we ask you to turn to the whole bag of mixed nuts.
We are accustomed to researching the crazed academics at UCLA. Quite often, the nuttiest of the faculty are the ones who interfere with academics and indeed sometimes they are not members of the faculty at all. With this in mind, The Bruin Standard presents for your consideration, the Undergraduate Student Association Council as this issue’s “Administrative Nut.”
The United States Congress has been accused by criticizers through costly legislation sardonically know as “bailouts” and steamrollering the opposition by means of hasty decisions. Detractors have legitimate concerns and now UCLA students have the right to accountability with our own local legislators; the USAC board.
Followers of last year’s student elections are familiar with the controversial “Gaza Resolution” which called for a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine. Many students – particularly in the Jewish community feel that the resolution was one-sided. Still others didn’t see the point. What does the Middle Eastern controversy have to do with UCLA?
Perhaps such students should be happy that the USAC government was only meddling where its meddling could do no real damage.
This year, USAC is out with another resolution and this time, it has a much more direct effect on students – particularly their wallets.
Specifically, the council passed a resolution submitted by Financial Supports Commissioner, D’Jaun Farmer. They’ve called it the USAC Textbook Scholarship Fund and “THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Undergraduate Student Association Council [. . .] that the Financial Supports Commission Scholarship Fund is allocated $50,000 in funding.”
That’s $50,000 of your student fees; your money.
That’s $50,000 of your student fees that – according to the resolution – will benefit a paltry 200 students.
There are over 27,000 undergraduates at UCLA. Theoretically, each of them pays about $130.
That means about 384 students paid into the $50,000 scholarship. Again, only 66 students per quarter can benefit.
As one concerned observer commented, “That’s not even redistribution of the wealth because you don’t know that it came from the wealthy.”
The money used comes from a surplus from past years but is still comprised entirely of student fees. When only 200 total students can receive funding, this scholarship benefits less than 1% of the Undergrad population.
Last year, a similar scholarship existed. This vote merely allots even more of your dollars to the scholarship fund.
What could have been done to stop this? Probably nothing.
The Bruin Standard came into possession of the USAC agenda for the September 8 meeting. The agenda makes no mention of the scholarship – not under “Fund Allocations” or “New Business” both of which occur after the time allotted for public comments. There is speculation that the referendum was intentionally sprung last minute so a proper defense could not be made.
According to the minutes of the same meeting, Addison Huddy (one of three elected) “General Representatives” on the board), requested further notification of funding votes. Perhaps he feels, as The Bruin Standard staff does, that this referendum was hastily pushed through to avoid any opposition debate.
Again according to the minutes, Farmer claimed that “that there is no other way to ensure that students are being directly benefited other than this program.” Really?
The $50,000 given to a mere 66 students per quarter could (and indeed should) have been used for something that could have benefited more students. The Bruin Standard would like readers to consider the fact that library hours are being scaled back. $50,000 could have extended Night Powell. It could have paid the salary of a professor who – put in front of a single lecture hall of 300 students per quarter – would still benefit more of UCLA.
However, the motion to allocate $50,000 to the Textbook Scholarship fund from Surplus Contingency Fund passed with a total of 7 in favor, 2 in opposition, and 1 abstention.
The discussion concluded with Dr. Berky Nelson (an Administrative Representative on the board) wishing to “commend the council on the discussion held” despite the dismissal of any opposing voice.