2008 Woodie Awards
Should FAC have funded Ward Connerly's speech?
Jackie Gonzalez
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Opinions
It's time for another campus rant.
Last week, I was incredibly disappointed at the Funds Allotment Council's backing of Ward Connerly, the controversial speaker pushing to end affirmative action.
FAC needs to take a closer look at programs it is supporting.
The purpose of FAC is to provide financial assistance for the "intellectual and social development of students," according to the group's Web site. If this truly is the case, FAC should try harder to fund events with proposals that have potential, not just save its budget for events that have been successful in the past. In order for any organization to grow, it must begin with some sort of financial backing.
The FAC should be supporting environmental causes - I think eco-friendly issues support both social and intellectual development - yet it denied two proposals from the Environmental Campus Organization and the Student Peace Alliance.
Despite the "extremely competitive" fight for funding last fall, FAC chose to grant more than one-eighth of its budget to one event - Ward Connerly. That's more than $4,000.
As a result, FAC rejected numerous other applications for organizational funding. Perhaps FAC was misled. In the proposal by the College Republicans, College Libertarians and the mysterious organization that goes by the name of Leadership Forum, the proposed event, according to its budget, was titled "America's Promise Realized: Getting Beyond Race." Vague, but seemingly patriotic. Of course the FAC approved it, and the planning stages began. Except if you looked at any flyer around campus, all you saw was a bold, uncomfortable and risqué phrase: "End affirmative action."
That blatantly conservative event did not provide development for those in opposition of Connerly's agenda. I'm sure of it.
FAC denied more than half of the Student Peace Alliance's request for funding to bring in a speaker for its peace week because of its apparently tight budget, granting $600. Although this sounds like a lot, it is an incredibly measly and unfortunate amount compared to the massive gift to the Leadership Forum and cohorts.
FAC should seek to promote a diverse range of events and speakers with the hope that everyone on campus will be especially pleased by at least one event a semester, instead of hoping to cater to the majority with every event.
If FAC chose to equally distribute funds, not only would more organizations benefit from this program, it might encourage organizations to bring even more speakers to campus - classy, reputable ones. Funding Ward Connerly to the degree FAC did just doesn't add up to good sense.
Last week, I was incredibly disappointed at the Funds Allotment Council's backing of Ward Connerly, the controversial speaker pushing to end affirmative action.
FAC needs to take a closer look at programs it is supporting.
The purpose of FAC is to provide financial assistance for the "intellectual and social development of students," according to the group's Web site. If this truly is the case, FAC should try harder to fund events with proposals that have potential, not just save its budget for events that have been successful in the past. In order for any organization to grow, it must begin with some sort of financial backing.
The FAC should be supporting environmental causes - I think eco-friendly issues support both social and intellectual development - yet it denied two proposals from the Environmental Campus Organization and the Student Peace Alliance.
Despite the "extremely competitive" fight for funding last fall, FAC chose to grant more than one-eighth of its budget to one event - Ward Connerly. That's more than $4,000.
As a result, FAC rejected numerous other applications for organizational funding. Perhaps FAC was misled. In the proposal by the College Republicans, College Libertarians and the mysterious organization that goes by the name of Leadership Forum, the proposed event, according to its budget, was titled "America's Promise Realized: Getting Beyond Race." Vague, but seemingly patriotic. Of course the FAC approved it, and the planning stages began. Except if you looked at any flyer around campus, all you saw was a bold, uncomfortable and risqué phrase: "End affirmative action."
That blatantly conservative event did not provide development for those in opposition of Connerly's agenda. I'm sure of it.
FAC denied more than half of the Student Peace Alliance's request for funding to bring in a speaker for its peace week because of its apparently tight budget, granting $600. Although this sounds like a lot, it is an incredibly measly and unfortunate amount compared to the massive gift to the Leadership Forum and cohorts.
FAC should seek to promote a diverse range of events and speakers with the hope that everyone on campus will be especially pleased by at least one event a semester, instead of hoping to cater to the majority with every event.
If FAC chose to equally distribute funds, not only would more organizations benefit from this program, it might encourage organizations to bring even more speakers to campus - classy, reputable ones. Funding Ward Connerly to the degree FAC did just doesn't add up to good sense.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 6
Jonathon Burns
posted 4/03/08 @ 1:02 PM CST
So, basically, FAC should only support speakers who educate students on positions that you personally approve of. Oh, OK.
You speak of diversity of tolerance, yet you care for neither. (Continued…)
Jeremy Loscheider
posted 4/03/08 @ 1:24 PM CST
Jackie Gonzalez posits an interesting question - should the FAC have funded two eco-friendly events, or the Ward Connerly event?
It's a shame the conjuction is an OR instead of an AND - but it reflects the reality of limited funding during a time of rising costs . (Continued…)
matt
posted 4/03/08 @ 3:00 PM CST
Jeremy, hopefully you and other students will support a proposed increase to the Organizational Activities Fee which funds the FAC. This proposal will be on the ballot in April and if passed, will give FAC more money to fund more events. (Continued…)
Daniel Glossenger
posted 4/03/08 @ 6:10 PM CST
Just to clarify a few things, students cannot request a refund of the portion of the student organizational activity fee that goes toward FAC. Technically, virtually all student groups can apply for funding from FAC, which is a relatively equitable approach. (Continued…)
Aaron
posted 4/04/08 @ 5:16 PM CST
I'd like to see a Nobel Peace Prize winner, a refugee from a African nation, or a Pulitzer Prize winner then this yahoo.
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