After revising constitution, UMC brings year to a close

The United Minorities Council has revised its constitution to encourage increased student involvement and dispel the myth that it consists of "elite Penn groups," outgoing Chairperson Jun Bang said this week. According to Bang, a College senior, the UMC's executive board decided to change the group's constitution because its description of minority groups at the University rested on an "ethnic and cultural, not racial" basis. College junior Liz Melendez, incoming UMC chairperson, said there will be six categories for minority students in the UMC under the revised constitution -- Asian Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, Latinos/Chicanos, Native Americans, Caribbean Americans and African Americans. "[These were] changes that definitely needed to be made," Melendez said. "The way it stood, the constitution was ambiguous. Now, it will allow for the campus to be more clear on what minorities we're referring to when we say United Minorities Council." Bang expects the clarification to result in "more focus and cohesiveness" among the UMC's member groups, while continuing to insure that any campus racial minority group has the chance to join the UMC if it so desires. Another change in the UMC constitution is the creation of the non-voting position of member-at-large. "[Now] anyone who is not a member of a racial minority organization could join the UMC," Bang said, provided he or she follows the admissions procedure delineated in the constitution. The admissions process includes attendance at three consecutive UMC meetings and a presentation about how the prospective member-at-large's goals mesh with those of the UMC to the group's executive board. If at least 10 members-at-large join the UMC, they will be permitted to elect a voting at-large representative, the constitution states. "The UMC is often seen as the voice of minority groups on campus," Bang said. "This is a very generalized view, and the [member-at-large] proviso was made to encourage participation." The third major change in the UMC's constitution is its inclusion of standing committees to handle Admissions, the Celebration of Cultures and Programs as official parts of the UMC. "Fifteen years ago, when the UMC was founded, there was no need for these committees," Bang said. But, the UMC's growth has created a need for increased delegation of responsibilities, especially opportunities for cooperative programming. The revised constitution also alters the timetable for election of the group's chairperson and vice chairperson. Instead of being chosen after spring break, the chairperson and vice chairperson will now be selected in February, so they have adequate time to learn from their predecessors. Melendez is the first chairperson elected under this new system. Wharton junior Jenny Ho, incoming UMC vice chairperson, said she is happy the changes were enacted. "I'm really ecstatic that we were able to put into place before the new year began," she said. "It gives us a really strong base from which to work." The conclusion of the revision process also marks the end of Bang's term as UMC chairperson. Over the past year, the UMC tackled issues as diverse as the racial harassment policy, assigned housing and the Commission on Strengthening the Community's report. Bang said she has achieved her personal goals, which included making the UMC's name more public and increasing the visibility of the UMC's executive board on campus. She said she has been particularly pleased to see more enthusiasm and interaction among the UMC's constituent groups. "The UMC is very vital as a voice for racial minorities on campus," Bang said. "My personal interaction with administrators and other student groups has helped to alleviate the stereotype that the UMC is a militant group and that all they do is complain."

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