Third World Coalition

Template:TOCnestleft Third World Coalition

Background

The Third World Coalition has decided not to seek a $1 fee assessment for next year because members are concerned with its effect on University support for minority activities. The decision was made at a meeting Friday with Dean of Student Affairs James Lyons. According to Hope Nakamura of the Asian American Student Association (AASA), "The reasoning is that we wanted to have better control of the repercussions of having a fee assessment." The Office of Student Affairs had suggested that the coalition seek a student fee assessment. Nakamura said the assessment would theoretically give the groups permanent funding at the beginning of the year so that they would not have to scramble around for small amounts from various sources during the year.

However, members of the coalition, especially MEChA, expressed doubts about the actual outcome and questioned the Office of Student Affairs' intentions. "The group is not clear on the University commitment to minority affairs and on whether the fee assessment is a supplement or a replacement of present funding," said Valentin Hernandez of MEChA. In the past, the minority groups have been supported by about 25 academic departments and University offices such as the Academic Information Center.

The coalition was formed last year by four minority groups on campus — MEChA. AASA. BSU and SAIO — and is associated with the Bay Area Minority Network. Andy Vialobos stressed that the coalition was not Lyons' idea and did not originate because of the fee assessment. He said the coalition was the product of a conference in Berkeley last year. Hernandez said the group was formed out of need to unite the Third World organizations on campus and •was set up specifically to address the effect of the draft on the Third World people.

References

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