Following an allocation of $36,131.82 among 11 student groups, the Associated Students Finance Board held a closed session last night to discuss rules governing funding exceptions.

During its open meeting, board members debated A.S. Financial Policies and Procedures, noting past inconsistencies in allocations for items such as food, travel and T-shirts. According to the board’s policies, members may overturn rules with a two-thirds majority vote and make a one-time exception per year for each registered campus organization. Additionally, the board discussed the funding of counter-protests.

Of the 12 groups that approached the board, only one did not receive funding last evening.

At the meeting, the board gave the Kappa Sigma fraternity $2,185 toward its inner tube water polo event benefiting diabetes research. The charity function is scheduled to take place on Nov. 10.

However, in a break from a precedent set in previous weeks, the board did not offer the group a one-time exception for the funding of one of its items, namely clothing.

In past weeks, the board gave one-time exceptions to the UCSB chapters of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and the Sigma Nu fraternity. For NORML, the exception was granted for a set of conference registration fees, while Sigma Nu’s exception pertained to the funding of an event that took place off campus and outside Isla Vista.

Board member J.P. Primeau said the board should develop a single policy for making one-time exceptions.

“We funded uniforms last week,” Primeau said. “I think we need to be consistent.”

However, in the same meeting, the board funded Tri Delta’s request for T-shirts to circulate at its annual surf competition, which will benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. The board added a stipulation to the allocation, requiring the sorority to make the shirts available to all attendees, including those outside the greek community. The event will take place Nov. 18.

Meanwhile, for the third consecutive week, the board distributed money to an event related to this week’s College Republicans-sponsored Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, granting $980 to the Muslim Student Association for anti-IFAW advertising.

The board awarded the MSA’s request with full funding, which the campus group will use to make posters and fliers that denounce tonight’s 7:30 screening of “Obsession” in Corwin Pavilion and Thursday’s speech by conservative talk-radio host Dennis Prager in Girvetz Theater 1004 at 7:30 p.m.

Board member Paige Blatt said she was hesitant to fund advertising that discredits another campus club’s events.

“I don’t want to fund something that is targeting another group,” Blatt said.

However, board member Tuyen Nguyen said the publicity currently circulated for these events targets Muslims and portrays Islam in a negative light. In the future, Nguyen said, the board should consider funding emotionally charged events more carefully.

“The fliers that I’ve seen today are really offensive,” Nguyen said. “That’s something that we as a board need to talk about.”

MSA President Faheem Ahmad told the board that his group was trying to defend the image of Muslims in the United States against the messages in the speech and the film, which he sees as one-sided and negative.

“Both those events are going to present a very narrow view of events,” Ahmad said. “What we are trying to do is present another view, especially for “Obsession.” We’re not here to attack anyone.”

After reviewing requests, the board entered into a closed session to discuss its one-time exception policy.

Print