The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate's decision Sunday to allot $7,500 from its surplus fund to the annual symposium of Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC) has raised controversy over who may — and should — receive TCU Senate funding. The Senate came to the decision to draw money from the surplus when Director of the Institute for Global Leadership (IGL) Sherman Teichman appealed for funding to allow Tufts undergraduate students to attend the symposium this February free of charge. The difficult nature of the decision was evident in the 12-11 split in the Senate's vote.
It is virtually undeniable that EPIIC is a worthwhile cause and that the Senate's intentions were in the right place when it gave money to a group whose mission is centered on global education, outstanding academic achievement and experiential learning. These are some of the very goals that Tufts strives for as a university. Additionally, the Senate surplus will remain at about $60,000 after the gift to EPIIC, and many would argue that these funds should be put to use and not sit in a stagnant bank account.
Teichman's appeal to the TCU was based on the IGL being hard-hit by the recession, but as harsh as it may be, resolving financial concerns such as these should be the role of the IGL, EPIIC's parent institution, and not of the TCU Senate. TCU Treasury members assert that this allotment was a one-time exception made in the face of overwhelming justification and merit. However, the funding choice puts the Senate on a slippery slope, as this decision could be taken as a precedent for allocating money to non-student-led groups in the future. The university as a whole has been suffering at the hands of the economic crisis, but it is not appropriate for the Senate to assume responsibility for every sector of Tufts.
The Senate and EPIIC essentially operate in different realms. TCU's primary concern should be dealing with extracurricular and student-led groups, and EPIIC stems from the IGL. The IGL is neither extracurricular nor student-led. Acting as the umbrella organization for EPIIC as well as a number of other groups revolving around global leadership, the IGL has its own budget allocations set up to fund its components.
The decision to provide funding to EPIIC disregards an entire system that has been set up to keep money going toward students. While right now it may seem that the bureaucratic process impedes the blending of exceptional academic endeavors and student-initiated, student-powered campaigns, making exceptions like this ultimately will lead to disorganization and less fruitful efforts. The fact that EPIIC is facing hardship is unfortunate and a problem worth discussing, but not a cause to make such drastic exceptions.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of other groups on campus that are facing the same financial trials but did not receive money from the TCU Treasury's surplus fund. In a way, the Senate's choice to disregard an often-burdensome system was refreshing, as it showed that the students who make up our Senate keep Tufts' values and pursuits in mind. The Senate, nevertheless, should keep in mind that its policies of not allocating money to groups supported by other organizations are in place for a reason and that they should not be arbitrarily bypassed.
