UCR Senate holds final meeting (The REAL face of "diversity"!)

UCR Highlander ^ | 6/04/03 | Katherine Steelman

[MikalM]

As ASUCR closed out their year last Thursday with one last meeting, student groups came out in a final attempt this year to secure funding to increase safety for women of color.

"We stand in solidarity with women of color," said a representative of the Student Coalition for Peace. "There is a war in the United States and here at UCR. We want funding and security not UCR affiliated to protect against UCPD and the Greek community.

The anger expressed by a number of students at the meeting stemmed from the allocation and subsequent de-allocation of funds for a safe house on campus for women of color and for non-UCR affiliated security guards.

"Shame on you, whoever requested that they de-allocate this money," said an angry student addressing the senate. "I've never seen any of you do anything for the community. I'm really pissed off."

Students claim that there have been incidents of physical retaliation acted upon them after speaking out at a previous ASUCR meeting, and that they do not feel safe. Elections Chair Julia Perron asked the students to clarify what they meant by physical retaliation.

"Someone followed us home, and when we got there, someone had tried to kick in our door," said one student. "My sister's car was tipped over, and when we came to ASUCR to talk about our situation, there was an unsafe environment for us when we went home."

One student organization, Que onda Queers, requested $12,000 for safety devices, including cameras, camcorders, tapes, tape recorders and security to prevent physical retaliation.

"On the real, I am very interested in funding this," said senator Ivory Parnell. "But considering there are only $10,000 in the fiscal budget, and the total request is over $27,000. What can we do?"

In an attempt to find some way to allocate the money, senators suggested tapping other resources.

"Aren't there other funds to be used?" asked senator Vianey Ramirez. "This is one pot, but there are other pots to smoke."

When President Sayegh informed the group that according to the constitution, only $100 could be allocated for equipment, students again expressed their discontent, saying that the senate was not willing enough to help them.

"I definitely don't think that this is an unwillingness to help," Sayegh said. "For 28 days, every day, people have been working for you. Everybody on this board goes to class. For the past 28 days, because of this situation, I am not getting my degree."

Students did not respond well to this, saying that is the senate's job to be dedicated to their needs.

"We're not going to discriminate," Ramirez said. "We treat you like shit. We're going to treat everybody like shit."

After some deliberation, and the decision to make it a closed ballot, the senate voted to allocate $3,025 to Que onda Queers.

At the meeting, the senate also voted to approve a mural to be placed in the Commons. There was some concern voiced by the senate about the contents of the mural.

"I see some pilgrim invaders here," said Elisa Haro, academic affairs director. "It kind of reminds me of my colonization, and I don't like that."

The artist of the mural said that the pilgrim invaders were meant to be Shakespearean actors and that he would try to make that more clear.

Other concerns with the mural included the depiction of white cranes, which the senate demanded be changed to color cranes.

They were also concerned with the lack of a same sex couple depicted, which the artist agreed to add. The senate voted to approve the mural in light of the adjustments being made.

Among other business, the senate voted to approve the newly elected officers of next year's senate.

[MikalM]

Besides the bolded parts, how many leftist absurdities can YOU spot? Remember, this is California taxpayer money being spent here...

And if any of you "colonizers" would like to drop Ms. Haro a love note, click here!

[FroedrickVonFreepenstein]

I thought this was an Onion piece, then I clicked the link.

[Munson]

This is the reason why I decided to apply to a new school for graduate school. Im tired of this bull crap at UCR.

[CdMGuy]

This is why I don't believe in public education at any level - primary, secondary and college/university. You have a kid, you pay to educate them.

Joe Davis wants to stick his hand even deeper into my pockets to fund this BS.

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

"This is one pot, but there are other pots to smoke."

Sounds like you already are, pal!

[breakem]

"It kind of reminds me of my colonization, and I don't like that."

Geez, how old is this guy?

[MikalM]

Geez, how old is this guy?

It's a gal, and she's an undergraduate. Probably around 21.

ELISA HARO
Academic Affairs Director
elisa.haro@ucr.edu

One of the greatest concerns for the rapidly growing UCR student body is that with the influx of new students arriving yearly, our quality of education will decline. As this year’s Academic Affairs Director, it will be my job to ensure that this does not happen and that instead, the quality of education that our students receive improves. During the 2002-2003 academic year, the Academic Affairs Committee will be actively working on projects such as increasing student diversity and retention, protecting the Ethnic Studies Department, reforming the Subject A exit exam, bringing in new majors, and increasing student and faculty involvement.

[Munson]

Look for an article in Frontpage Magazine about the crazy politics of UC Riverside. One of the editors is looking foward to this article. I am teaming up with one of the white students who was bullied for not standing for the radical leftist line.

The sad part is the conservatives dont want to stand up against this BS. A college republicans chapter doesnt have interest on this campus even though its located in a Republican area.

[MikalM]

Please tell me you added these sentences in as a joke.

Sorry, the only modification I made to the article was bolding the most ridiculous sections. Everything else is reprinted verbatim.

[Calvin Locke]

I was going to ask if it was all student fees, or the taxpayers.

And these clueless students are going to be paying for my social security benefits?

[Munson]

student fees, not taxpayer money. however the requests for money is greater than the ASUCR budget. ASUCR recives 450k a year from the undergrad population at UCR.

The safehouse for women of color etc costs 220k which would bust the ASUCR budget.

[Calvin Locke]

I don't suppose it would occur to any of these idiots that a university is a place for learning, education, and research.

What does a "safe house" have to do with education? Let the dumb@sses in the sociology department pick up the tab, not the student body or the rest of the school.

Somebody is physically abusive? Boot them out. Too much baggage? Leave and reapply when you've dealt with your problem.

Plus, they are a bunch of racists and sexists.

[steplock]

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[Munson]

Im against the idea of the safehouse. Its a waste of money. Its a mandate that would bust any budget.

[Munson]

The Highlander is currently the voice against the political correct garbage on campus. I am a contributing writer who works with the newspaper. ASUCR wants to reduce the funding of the paper because we do not follow the radical party line.

If you want to go postal, go postal at the ASUCR, MECHA and all the other ethnic identity radicals.