GSAFundingAmendment

Whereas,

inOctober2015,theGSAplacedfundingrestrictionsonastudentgroupattempting
tohostaforumondiversity,

Whereas,therestrictionsplacedonthestudentgroupsingledoutonesideofadebatethatwas
ineligibleforGSAfunding,

Whereas,theserestrictionsmayconstituteviewpointdiscrimination,

Whereas,viewpointdiscriminationiscontrarytothemissionoftheGSA,toUCLAsguidelines
onfreespeech,andtheFirstAmendment,

Whereas,theGSAForumistheonlybodyempoweredtovoteonpoliticalquestions,including
anypolicyofrestrictingfundingbasedoncontent,

Whereas,theGSACabinetdidnothavetheauthoritytovoteonaresolutiontakingapolitical
positiononanyissue,

Whereas,theseactions,andthemonthslongdelayinresolvingthem,havehadanegative
effectongraduatestudentsperceptionoftheirrightstofreespeechatUCLA,

Whereas,asViceChancellorJaninaMonterowroteinregardstothisissue,
situationslikethis
provideanopportunitytounderscorethattheintellectualandethicalhealthofauniversity
dependonarobust,honest,thoughtfulandinformedexchangeofideas.Suchanexchange
whichmayincludediscussingunpopularorcontroversialissuesisvitaltotheeducational,
researchandpublicservicefunctionsofouruniversity.

Whereas,
asViceChancellorJaninaMonterowroteinregardstothisissue,
tryingtomutethe
voicesofthosewithwhomwedisagreedoesnotservethemissionoftheuniversityorthe
ethicalorintellectualinterestsofourcommunity.

Therefore,letitberesolvedthattheGSAreiteratesitscommitmenttofreespeechandthe
rightsofallgraduatestudents,

LetitfurtherberesolvedthattheGSAwillmakeincreasedeffortstobeawareofUCLA
guidelinesonfundingandfreespeech,

LetitfinallyberesolvedthattheGSAextendsitsapologiestoallstudentsaffectedbythis
incident.