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Okamura is a fourth-year sociology and Asian-American studies student. He serves as the external vice president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council.

By Evan Okamura

This is in response to Simon Perng’s column about the state budget and the Undergraduate Students Association Council’s use of funds (“USAC must stop non-academic funding,” Daily Bruin, Viewpoint, Nov. 27). While he brought up some interesting points about restructuring USAC, there were some significant inaccuracies in his argument.

College is not about just going to class and reading books; it is about interaction with other people and other communities. The university experience is a time to expand one’s horizons, meet new people and learn new skills.

Student groups and statewide organizations provide students with the ability to gain hands-on experience on how to put on events, how to run campaigns, and how to work with other people. These are skills that we do not learn in the classroom – except for ethnic studies courses – and are essential for success in the outside world.

UCLA should not only teach us about philosophy, science, math and history, but it must also prepare us to be fully functioning citizens in the world outside of UCLA. Student groups not only educate us with forums and campaigns, but they also provide us with the essential skills we need once we graduate.

UCLA is highly regarded for the learning that students receive inside the classroom, but what would UCLA be without the vast marketplace of ideas that exist outside of its lecture halls? The opportunities to experience life outside of the classroom is what makes UCLA what it is. The variety of groups that USAC funds provides us with a campus that has a lively debate and forum to discuss all different ideas and viewpoints.

All groups are critical to the campus whether they are groups that primarily exist on campus, or groups that work off campus, giving students a voice in the public policy debates at the statewide and national level.

Student groups are not only critical to the campus, but they make the college experience what it is. Without these groups and the events they put on, as well as the campaigns they run, the campus would not be the same; students might as well receive their education through the Internet.

Perng’s clear lack of understanding is exemplified when he says that “USAC’s worthwhile departments – such as Campus Events, Cultural Affairs, Student Welfare, Community Service and Facilities ... should continue to receive their normal funding directly from the university.” These commissions that he speaks of, are funded by student fees. Secondly, they are also funded by referendums that were approved by the student body to allow each respective office to carry out the work they do. I assure you that none of their revenue comes “directly from the university.”

As the only returning USAC member from 2000-2001, it is clear to me that President Karren Lane has been using the “executive and legislative duties under her control” to advocate and protect all students, such as ensuring that students’ records are not illegally searched. Furthermore, I have seen more advocacy on behalf of the student body from President Lane in the past six months, than the entire term of her predecessor.

It is true that California is in the midst of a budget crisis. Many state agencies, including the UC system, are going to see huge cuts to their budgets and are going to have to scale back funding.

The problem with the state budget has no correlation to USAC. USAC’s funds do not come from the state budget, but are fees that students have voted to access themselves.

The chancellor cannot take these funds away from USAC, only students can decrease them. USAC is student-controlled and student-run. USAC officers are elected by the student body to run USAC in the best way they see fit, consistent with USAC’s constitution and bylaws. We, the members of this year’s council, have been doing just that.

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