The Student Services Finance Committee funded Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán for two years and discussed the eligibility of the Muslim Students’ Association Monday night.
SSFC voted 12-0-1 to fund MEChA, a national organization that promotes higher education, culture and history of the Chicanx community, for the next two fiscal years.
In the last eligibility hearing of the year, MSA President Ayyan Arshad and Vice President Rayyaan Usmani said the organization is open to all students, whether they have knowledge of Islamic culture or not.
MSA provides a safe space for Muslims and non-Muslims to learn more about Islam, fight for social justice and dispel any misconceptions about Islamic culture, Usmani said.
One of MSA’s core programs focuses on mentorship, matching an underclassman with an upperclassman to provide peer support. The mentorship helps students academically as well as socially, Arshad said.
“When I was a freshman, I didn’t know anybody here, and the mentorship program is what really helped me become accustomed to school and find a home on campus,” Arshad said.
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MSA also hosts student-led halaqas and discussions on the cultural and religious aspects of Islam. Arshad said the talks promote teamwork, problem solving and leadership.
Rep. Jon Kim expressed concern that students would be lectured to and wouldn’t participate actively in workshops. Usmani said active participation from students will depend on what is happening with the event, but that MSA offers participants a place to feel at home on campus.
“Our members are generally not very active in other organizations or maybe not as comfortable, so this program offers that resource,” Arshad said.
SSFC will vote on funding MSA Thursday.
