ASUU: Assembly funds LeaderShape, UPC events

The ASUU Assembly allocated additional funding to the Union Programming Council and other student groups such as the Society of Women Engineers and the Vietnamese American Student Association at its monthly meeting Tuesday.

The Assembly allocated $4,100 in additional funding for the UPC to fund traditional events such as Crimson Nights and Relaxation Week held during Finals Week.

Executive director of UPC Bridger Harris, an undergraduate in business administration, said UPC, which reaches about 25,000 students, has enough money to fund these projects, but would like to use its current budget to create new programs and reach out to more students.

The largest expense was about $1,300 for posters and fliers. Other expenses include $1,000 for a DJ and security at Crimson Nights and $500 for T-shirts.

The next largest allocation of $3,900 went to LeaderShape, a six-day leadership training seminar. The U has hosted this event since 2001 and more than 540 students have graduated from the program. Its largest expense was $1,100 for advertising and recruitment, including items such as fliers and posters. Some other expenses in the bill include room rental and bus transportation.

The bill needs to be passed by the ASUU Senate on Thursday before it is enacted.

The Vietnamese American Student Association received funding for two of its largest events of the year. VASA President Kim Khan, a graduate student in biostatistics, said the Lunar Festival is the association’s biggest event of the year and includes drummers, line dancing and food.

VASA also received compensation for the Moon Festival, which is held in September. Khan said 100 to 150 people attended the event.

“It’s one of the biggest holidays we have,” she said.

The purpose of VASA is to connect Vietnamese children with the culture and traditions of their parents. The group has 50 members.

The total cost of the bills was about $1,000. The two largest expenses were supplies and decorations totaling $270 and food totaling $230.

The Assembly allocated $1,400 to the Society of Women Engineers for four members who attended the society’s national conference in November.

Treasurer Karli Gillette, an undergraduate in applied mathematics and bioengineering, said the conference had more than 1,000 workshops and employers.

“I know that every girl that went got an interview,” she said.

The Medical School Alliance Group received $650.

Michelle Chestnut, the group’s president and a graduate student in human development and social policy, said the purpose of the group is to support the families and spouses of students during the first four years of medical school.

Money allocated to the group included funding for a tree in the Festival of Trees benefiting Primary Children’s Medical Center and a trip the Western State Medical Alliance Conference in Newport Beach, Calif. The largest cost was $400 for supplies and decorations.