Fraternity and sorority members appealed to the Associated Student Inc. Senate
Wednesday to stop funding the Union newspaper. The group complained that the weekly satire page, The Grunion, is offensive to students.
Union Editor Aislin Ard, who was also present at the Senate meeting, said this is the first grievance the newspaper has received this semester.
Staff writer Cody Contway stood behind Ard.
"If the Union has been offensive all semester I don't know why we haven't gotten any complaints," Contway said.
"We have a right to expose all view points no matter how unpopular. We haven't kicked anyone out who wants to say something," Contway said.
Sigma Kya Fraternity Chairman Jason Reyes furnished senators with copies of the Grunion, and argued that certain articles were written in poor taste. The articles in question included a fabricated letter to the editor in which a fictitious sorority girl implied she had sex with animals and an article about a Greek housing community, said to be, "a good breeding ground for date rape."
Associated Student Inc. President Naomi Rodriguez received a standing ovation from the senators as she urged them to take action.
"Does the Union's satire have a point?" Rodriguez askedthe senators. "Calling a sorority
woman a whore is very offensive," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said, "it is time for leaders to take a stand against the Union,"a newspaper that is funded by A.S. I. student fees.
However, Rodriguez said, "I don't know if cutting the funds to zero is the way to do it."
According to Director of Administrative Services Richard Haller, the A.S.I. gives the Union an allowance of about $20,000 every year.
"If the Union lost its A.S.I. funding we would probably have to turn into a monthly publication," said Union Business Manager Matthew Puentes.
According to Puentes, the newspaper was planning to going into "financial self-sufficiency" next year.
Chairwoman of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority Juliane Weitzberg asked the senate to divide the Union among eight editorial groups if they do not cut funding.
The groups suggested were the present editorial staff, the Greek organizations, gay and lesbian rights organizations, the Women's Resource Center, religious groups, A.S.I. and disabled rights groups.
"We have acquired numerous organizations willing to join us in the battle," Reyes said. "Even after today we will continue the battle."
Reyes saidthe groups will meet with the Publications Board and President Robert Maxson until a resolution is reached.
Maxson did not comment on the matter but said, "I am here to see democracy in action."
Campus organizations such as the Women's Resource Center, the Interfaith Center and the American Indian and Chicano/Latino Studies Department have
joined the Greeks in the plight against the Union, according to Reyes.
The Women's Resource Center could not be reached for comment.
Olga Alvarez, department secretary for the American Indian and Chicano/Latino Studies Department said that the department as a whole does not stand behind the Greeks.
"We have some people who are neutral and some who have no opinion about the Grunion page," Alvarez said. "We can't put the whole department in, because
everyone is an individual."
Steve Weckson, a Catholic minister at the University Interfaith Center, pleaded to the senate to censor the Union until the editors and staff clean up the Grunion.
"The issue is not censorship," Weckson said. "[The issue is that the Union] is using student funds to say things that are hurtful and demeaning to other students."
According to a March 18 letter submitted to the senate, the University Interfaith Center supports censoring the Union.
"Most offensive is the fact that this newspaper is paid for with student funds," the letter stated, which was signed by all the ministers at the center.
Union staff writer Jennifer Tallef defended her paper claiming most of the feedback the Union gets is positive. "Greeks don't have the right to say what others can and can't read," Tallef said.
Students who support the Union were not in attendance at the senate meeting.
"If we lose our A.S.I. funds the students will not let the paper die," Ard said.
Representatives from Sigma Kya Fraternity and Gamma Phi Sorority met with President Maxson on Friday morning to voice their concerns.
Nobody in attendance at the meeting would comment on what was discussed.