Minority groups on campus are up in arms over the selection of student representatives to the university's highest governing body.
Several groups have criticized the Nominations and Elections Committee for its decision to omit minority representatives from the University Council.
The UC, which meets monthly to discuss prominent University issues, consists of faculty, administrators, staff and a select group of students -- five of whom are chosen by the NEC.
After being turned down for UC spots Allies -- a lesbian gay bisexual transgender advocate -- the Asian Pacific Student Coalition and black student group Umoja boycotted an Undergraduate Assembly Steering Committee meeting last night, at which leaders of student groups across campus gather routinely to discuss campus issues.
The United Minorities Council, which automatically receives a seat on the UC, also boycotted the meeting and joined the other three groups for a separate, closed meeting.
Their absence aimed to protest the NEC's selection process and the lack of explanation provided to the groups that were not selected.
"The NEC has eliminated an essential component of ongoing dialogues on diversity and therefore has slapped the minority community in the face," Asian Pacific Student Coalition board members wrote in an e-mail statement yesterday. "At the heart of the issue lies the condescending superiority that pervades student government."
Nominations and Elections Committee Chairman Eli Schlam said that the committee does not hold a bias against any particular group.
"I understand why they believe they need the seat," Schlam said. "But I have a problem with this after-the-fact mentality. I also have a problem with the concept of 'we're not willing to talk about this, we want to boycott.'"
The UC allots 15 seats to the UA for undergraduate student representatives.
The NEC is then charged by the UA with electing student organization leaders to fill five of those seats. According to Schlam, groups are selected based on whether they are "misrepresented or underrepresented on campus."
The Panhellenic Council, Hillel, the Latino Coalition, the Civic House Associates Coalition and the Queer Student Alliance were chosen by the NEC out of 11 applicants who underwent the application and interview process.
The Asian Pacific Student Coalition and Allies are the only groups that reapplied and did not retain their current seats.
The UA approved the NEC's decision in a 14-7 vote Sunday, sparking controversy over the decisions and the process.
"The choices don't make a lot of sense if you take into account all the groups that applied," Allies spokesman and College senior Prem Tumkosit said, specifically citing the Panhellenic Council and Hillel. "I think that we should have been given a reason."
Schlam described the process as a "comparison of pros."
"It's not that the groups that we didn't pick don't have an argument," Schlam said. "It's that we have five seats, and we have to pick the ones that can benefit the most from these seats and can bring the most to the table."
The group's size, access to administration and ongoing or upcoming issues are also considered.
The groups who boycotted specifically criticized the NEC for its "lack of transparency."
"How they came to those decisions should be more apparent," Umoja Political Chairman and College freshman Jerome Wright said.
Although the NEC did not provide explanations for the groups that were rejected, it did state the rationale for the choices that were made.
The Panhellenic Council was selected because of its focus on women's issues, such as security, acquaintance rape and better counseling services, as well as its capacity for misrepresentation as a Greek organization.
QSA -- a group that self-identifies with the LGBT community -- will be particularly affected by the recent co-ed housing initiative and the implementation of additional clauses in the non-discrimination policy.
CHAC was given a seat based on its connection with the West Philadelphia community and the insight it can provide on issues such as eastward expansion and a potential community-service requirement.
Issues concerning admission, recruitment and retention of Latino students won the Latino Coalition -- one of the smallest ethnic minority groups -- a seat as well.
Hillel was given the fifth seat after arguing that it is frequently misrepresented as a group solely for Orthodox Jews who only welcome people of their own faith. It also emphasized that its resources are external to the University, so it may not have the same access as other campus groups.
"The process needs to stay behind closed doors so that it can stay nonpartisan and nonpolitical," Schlam said, adding that the decisions of every other student government branch besides the UA are made behind closed doors.
Schlam said that this is the first year the NEC has offered any explanation for its choices.
He added that the NEC spent over 10 hours this weekend deliberating its decisions, making it impossible to fully explain them to both the UA and the applicants.
Tumkosit said that the boycott by the four groups was not an attack on UA Steering, but aimed "to call attention to this issue."
Former Latino Coalition spokesman and College senior Jesse Salazar said he understands the rationale of the boycott.
"I think they have a valid grievance," Salazar said. "There needs to be change."
UA Chairman Jason Levine said he was disappointed with the groups' decision not to attend the meeting.
"They're taking a strong stance, and I respect that ... but Steering is probably the most appropriate forum for discussion of these issues."
UA Steering representatives spent over an hour discussing the issue and informally resolved to form an ad hoc committee to address the number of seats that the UA takes for itself and the criteria the NEC uses in its decisions.
"There is a history of solidarity among minority coalitions," Salazar said. "Today is proof that solidarity continues to exist."
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