The Student Services Finance Committee heard the details of the Multicultural Student Coalition’s highly controversial budget Wednesday night.
The MCSC is requesting $977,418 for its 2002-03 budget, a 752 percent increase over this year’s budget of $114,703. The student organization is funded by segregated fees, part of students’ tuition bill each semester.
A majority of the increased budget request is intended for a proposed staff of 44 people — the rest will go towards a new off-campus office and other resources to overhaul what MCSC members see as a critical situation on the UW-Madison campus.
UW student Diallo Shabazz spoke out in favor of the budget request during an extended open forum. Shabazz said MCSC was an important tool in making positive changes in the community.
“For years, ever since the civil-rights movement, it has been the students that have paved the way in helping this country move forward,” Shabazz said.
Shabazz felt the sting of an under-diversified campus when his picture was cropped and digitally added to the cover of a UW admissions packet in order to present UW as diverse.
While support for the budget, the largest ever asked for by any student organization, was high, many students felt funding MCSC at this level was financially irresponsible.
“[Granting this much money] is pouring money down a rat hole that essentially has no structure,” said one concerned student.
MCSC chair Tshaka Barrows began the hearing, extended by SSFC from 15 minutes to nearly three hours because of the circumstances, explaining the widespread importance of granting the MCSC the entire amount they requested.
“We are bringing honor to the work of the last five to seven years — aggressively seeking out services that could be provided that weren’t provided,” Barrows said.
In the plan, Barrows outlined ten separate goals that MCSC would begin work on if the budget is passed as proposed. Barrows’ plan includes the addition of more academic staff, better media relations, a weekly newspaper, work on housing issues, and the implemention of more precise ways to inform, recruit and retain students of color.
MCSC co-chair Theresa Vidaurri agreed, saying that diversity, as an issue that affects everyone on campus, needs to be worked on immediately
“It’s in the university mission statement to provide diversity,” Vidaurri said. “This university isn’t multiculturally competent.”
One example of the work MCSC says it will work on in coming years is to aggressively campaign against Halloween costumes that they consider racially insensitive or insulting.
Generation 2008 co-chair Patricia Kim said by supporting the MCSC budget, these types of issues, as well as unexpected things that may come up, can more adequately be dealt with.
“How would [you] feel if [you] saw [your] culture ? displayed in massive amounts of racist ? costumes worn by fellow classmates and students at this university?” Kim asked. “[This highlights students’] racist, disrespectful, offensive, and incorrect attitudes and behaviors that exist on this toxic campus climate year-round.”
MCSC member Pabitra Benjamin presented information to SSFC on the need to address hate crimes on campus, and how MCSC plays a role in combating this.
“MCSC goes out and educates the community about what hate crimes really are, what racism really is,” Benjamin said. “It helps the students affected by hate crimes to get back on academic or social track.”
Another initiative MCSC said they would improve with increased funding was the Multicultural Orientation Networking Empowerment week held on campus each fall. M-ONE week is intended to inform minority students of the different opportunities open for them on campus, as well as addressing awareness issues and active recruiting for student government positions.
United Council President Matt Fargen testified on MCSC’s behalf, telling the SSFC that as the flagship campus in the UW System, UW-Madison stands as a role model for other UW schools as to what kinds of things can be accomplished.
“Since the need already surpasses the amount requested, there is no need to cut this proposal,” Fargen said.
United Council consultant Tracy Benson agreed, warning the committee of the possible ramifications of cutting the proposed budget.
“If student government associations have all the decision-making power for students on campus, have control of the collection and allocation of segregated university fees, [yet] cannot accurately assess the needs of students of color, they facilitate the continued discrimination and disenfranchisement of students of color,” Benson said.
SSFC will vote next Monday on the budget for MCSC.
