MCC funding needed

At last Thursday's senate meeting, the Student Activities Fee Committee recommended the Multicultural Club receive $5,000 of the $20,000 budget increase they requested. Although the MCC only received one-fourth of what they had hoped for, this budget increase will allow them to expand their programs and increase campus awareness campaigns on diversity and multiculturalism. This increase will give the MCC Executive Board more support and more control.

If this budget passes, which we hope it will, the process of funding for MCC clubs will be streamlined. Cultural clubs such as Intandesh and Igwebuike will need only apply to the MCC Executive Board for funding, and, if the money's not available, they can go to AS and request discretionary funding.

This all makes sense. The MCC Executive Board, which is made up of representatives of each cultural club, understands the details and financial barriers involved in MCC events -- especially those of the large cultural shows produced every year. Therefore, they have a better basis for a decision, and, if funds are denied, the clubs should be more understanding.

Many cultural clubs in the past have been successful in their pursuit of funds from AS, but others haven't been so lucky. With $5,000 of extra funding, the MCC can be at the helm of the decision making process for smaller requests of money. This means that a $50 request for food money for a small cultural event can be directed to the MCC.

It avoids a long funding process through AS for a minimal amount of money and saves the time of both AS and the cultural club. The cultural club can, of course, still direct their request to AS, but now they have a choice.

This first $5,000 is a step in the right direction. The MCC has been increasingly active on campus and their cultural shows are becoming more popular and more elaborate each year. They are a vital voice of diversity on campus, and we hope to see this money used well.