Sports 743,280 - Journalism 0

By Laura Lothian	On-line Forty-Niner
March 6, 1997

Cal State Long Beach President Robert Maxson accepted all recommendations of the Instructionally Related Activities board and approved the allocation of more than $1.4 million in student funds to 29 different departments on campus.

Sports and recreation was the big winner receiving $743,280 - $60 less than it requested. Music Programs and Winterfest came in second with $110,945, followed by Cultural Diversity with $100,000.

Of the 29 departments that requested IRA funds, only three were turned down: Campus Connection, the Daily Forty-Niner and the University Magazine - each received $0, according to the Summary of Allocations from the president's office.

"Campus Connection was turned down because we saw an overlap with Film and Electronic Arts," Gloria Carver, IRA coordinator, said. "Basically, Campus Connection requested the same money as Film and since the money ends up in the same place, IRA turned them down."

That leaves the journalism department's request as the only rejection for personal reasons.

"I voted against awarding funds to the Daily Forty-Niner because it is in much better shape if it can control its own destiny, like a commercial paper," Keith Polakoff, associate vice president for academic affairs and IRA voting member, said.

"If the Forty-Niner gets funds from the IRA, it has the appearance of being under the influence of A.S. government, which has four members on the voting board."

"I think that by withholding IRA funds, the A.S. government controls us [the Daily Forty-Niner]," Dr. William Mulligan, journalism department chairperson, said. "Limiting funds is indirect censorship."

"I voted against funding the Forty-Niner," Jay Kvapil, one of two faculty members on the IRA board, said. "It would take me a long time to explain why and I have a deadline to meet."

The University Magazine depends entirely on IRA funds to survive, said Mulligan. Without the funds, he said, he does not see how the magazine can exist.

Last year was the first time the magazine was awarded no money. As a form of protest, The Daily Forty-Niner refused $7,000 in IRA funds.

"In hindsight, our refusal was probably a mistake." Georganne Sparks, business manager of the Daily Forty-Niner and University Magazine, said.