UW administrators questioned this weekend the wisdom of raising segregated fees to fund programs they see as redundant, even as student government leaders mull an unprecedented student fee investment in the Multicultural Students Coalition.
The MCSC and Diversity Education Specialists are requesting over $1.4 million in student fees to launch a cross-cultural educational campaign.
UW Chancellor John Wiley said the administration is doing what it can to finance diversity efforts, and that increased investments should go towards improving existing initiatives instead of expanding student organizations.
“I’m a little reluctant to get into the middle of it because it’s an issue entirely involved with students,” Wiley said. “But my own reaction is we spent a lot of time and effort with a lot of students, faculty and staff input developing Plan 2008.
This is not the time to be going off in other directions, doing different things.”
Wiley said he was concerned that allocating so much money to MCSC could either reduce funding for other student organizations or end up raising segregated fees. He said this is not the time to be “layering new programs on top of [Plan 2008].”
“We have to stay the course on something we already worked on and developed,” Wiley said. “We can’t be changing midstream. If I had additional money I would do more of the things that are spelled out in Plan 2008.”
Paul Barrows, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, echoed Wiley’s support for the administration’s efforts.
“I’m very satisfied with a very substantial investment we have made,” he said.
This year, Paul Barrows said $1.5 million has been put toward the PEOPLE program, $1.5 million has been put toward freshman interest groups centered around ethnic issues, and there has been a 4.5 percent increase in minority retention and recruitment grants. The administration also added a 3-credit ethnic studies course to the breadth requirements 10 years ago.
“Are there more things that could still be done? Absolutely,” Paul Barrows said. “I applaud student government for considering its own rule, but at the same time I’m pretty confident with the level of commitment we already have.”
However, MCSC co-chair Tshaka Barrows said no matter how hard the UW administration tries, the diversity problem can only be solved by involving student groups.
“The administration can’t do it even if they have the money because this is students affecting students,” he said. “But how much is [MCSC] going to change it? That depends on a lot more than our organization.”
MCSC is proposing an ambitious program of student-run cross-cultural education. If granted, the student fee money would go towards increased staff and office space dedicated towards organizing and aiding campaigns to improve campus climate.
“We’re trying to create a group that’s going to have a broad impact on a university that needs the impact,” Barrows said.
However, Barrows said he understands UW administration efforts are hindered by financial constraints, over which UW has little control.
“The state [of Wisconsin] has handcuffed the administration,” he said.
MCSC presented their budget request to the Student Services Finance Committee Thursday and Sunday night. SSFC will deliberate and decide on the budget at their meeting tonight.
