By Marcelle Richards
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Academic Affairs Commissioner and Student Empowerment!
presidential candidate Bryant Tan has about $21,500 of student
money sitting in the bank.
This more than doubles the amount he has split between student
programming and other costs such as transportation, payroll and
phone bills. Many events on his budget have not happened, though he
said some may be held in spring.
After numerous budget adjustments throughout the year to raise
funds, the majority of it is sitting idle.
Despite granting reimbursements for food and retreats, Tan was
also the one to advocate a lower fund allocation for the Disabled
Students Union in December.
According to the Associated Students of UCLA expenditure audit,
about $8,500 of the budget has been used for payroll, retreats,
transportation and supplies. Expenses for forums and events match
that amount, though most of this is allocated for events not yet
staged.
So far, the two primary events put on by the commission include
“Pakistan in the Wake of Sept. 11″ and a diversity
forum. The forum was supposed to inform students about the idea of
a diversity requirement.
Tan dropped $350, almost the entire cost for that event, on a
hip-hop speaker. When asked how this classified as an expense
relative to the AAC, he said hip-hop was educational and of
academic value.
Meanwhile, the audit shows money sitting around for several
events that have yet to happen ““ such as “issues on
student-initiated outreach and retention” and a career
networking and resource fair.
When asked why more programming had not been done, he said
it’s hard to juggle the responsibilities of running the
office and running for president.
Tan said his commission’s mission is two-fold ““
student advocacy and programming.
“A lot of what I’ve done is advocacy,” Tan
said.
He also said commissions save up sometimes, especially for
spring when there may be bigger events.
Some of his money will also help the Community Service
Commission, which is $22,000 in debt, he said.
The only other anticipated expense he cited was an event he
expects to host on the Ethiopian resistance movement to Italian
colonization.
What remains will “roll over” to next year, he said.
All money not used will feed into the USAC general fund to be
redistributed next year.
Though Tan has money to save, he spearheaded a USAC vote to
reduce the funds allotted to the Disabilities Student Union.
At a Dec. 4 USAC meeting, DSU requested funding for programming,
supplies, advertising and a telephone.
Dria Fearn, DSU director and Academic Affairs candidate, said
the group was trying to get started again after being non-active
for 10 years.
There was dispute over whether the group, which requested funds
after other groups already applied, could receive contingency funds
for these needs.
According to the minutes, Tan “asked whether USAC is
prepared to bend the rules for every group” and wanted to
amend the fund allocation to only include a telephone.
David Dahle, general representative and Students United for
Reform and Unity presidential candidate, said he thought USAC
should fund the entire request.
Tan moved to limit the allocation to $560 and it was approved
5-3-1.
Tan couldn’t cite another instance when a council member
opposed the recommendation of the finance committee as he did this
year.
Shortly thereafter in January, Tan paid for a $300 Daily Bruin
ad for Concerned Asian Pacific-Islander Students for Action, a
relatively new group as well to which Tan belongs.
Despite saying funds should not be spent on food, Tan also
reimbursed a food bill of $103 for the All Women Created Equal art
exhibit.