More Funds for Undergraduates

After a remarkably interesting campaign run last semester, the UC leadership has begun to deliver on its promises to do more than campaign for tomato basil ravioli soup. There have been a number of internal changes intended to hold UC representatives more accountable as well as incremental improvements, such as bag lunch-ordering changes. Recently, the UC has publicized its efforts to request $250,000 in funding and is planning to meet with University President Drew G. Faust to discuss the funding this month. Student groups need more funds, but $250,000 is a substantial rise from the current allocation. The UC should provide concrete plans for how the additional money would be distributed.

Starting in the fall, the UC raised concerns over the inadequate funds that were available for allocation to clubs on campus. Budget constraints have led to decreased funding for club sports and UC President Gus A. Mayopoulos ’15 claims that peer colleges’ student governments have budgets that dwarf Harvard’s. The UC has $489,000 to spend this academic year. By comparison, Georgetown’s equivalent has $970,000 to spend. The sizable disparity supports the request for additional funding. While these claims are legitimate, the UC should be clearer about how the money will be used. Will the funds be directed towards specific programs before others? Will all the funds be sent to student groups or does the UC have other priorities in mind as well?

The UC has begun the process of gauging student opinion to determine what should be improved or enhanced. As a result of the recent Ghost Protocol Act, UC representatives have distributed surveys at dining halls and requested students to rank their priorities based on listed improvements, such as better dining hall food. While this effort to increase student body participation is commendable, it is unclear if the allocation of funds will be determined as direct result of these surveys.

Equally important, it is necessary to inform the student body of the current proposed sources for additional funding. Last semester, the UC pushed the administration to increase the $75 term-bill fee paid by all Harvard students. If the money is not going to come from a fee increase, then it has to come from somewhere else.

The only other option seems to be a reallocation of funds from another source. If this option is pursued, the student body should know what that source is. If revenues are flat and budgets are balanced, a rise in spending in one area means a cut in another. The budget request is promising, but a lot remains uncertain ahead of the UC leadership’s meeting with President Faust.