Latino Coalition reacts to decision on U. Council seats

More than a week after the Undergraduate Assembly decided to reallocate three University Council seats to other student groups, the group that sparked the change in UA policy is expressing simultaneous concern and appreciation. The Latino Coalition -- which is not a part of the United Minorities Council umbrella organization -- had petitioned University Council for a seat of its own last semester. But the Council Steering Committee decided to defer the issue to the UA, who then decided to allocate three of their 15 Council seats to student groups selected by the Nominations and Elections Committee. And Latino Coalition members said that while the UA's decision was a step in the right direction, it still wasn't in line with their long-term goals -- getting a permanent seat on Council. "The idea that Latino representation is something that can be questioned and that has to be reviewed by another authority seems flawed," said Latino Coalition member Shaun Gonzales, who is a College sophomore. But Latino Coalition members maintain that the UA's actions are a step in the right direction, and said they would try and work through the UA's new bylaws to get a seat on Council. "We're definitely going to apply for a seat," Latino Coalition spokesman Randy Quezada said. "While [the new UA bylaws] do not meet our long term goals of a permanent seat on Council it is a step in the right direction," Quezada said. Other members of the Latino Coalition mirrored Quezada's comments. "We definitely appreciate the UA's efforts," Gonzales said. But Gonzales was critical of the role of the NEC -- to which interested groups must apply to get one of the now-open seats -- in deciding on the new seat-holders. "I feel that a group like the NEC may not fully understand the issues that the Latino community faces," Gonzales said. But NEC chairman Nick Goad is confident that the process will remain fair. "We are the most equipped organization on campus to select organizations in an unbiased fashion to further the UA's aim of increasing the representation of underrepresented undergraduate constituencies at the University," Goad said. The NEC, which is one of five branches of the UA, will conduct the application process for all groups, including the interviews. Goad called the process by which groups apply "rigorous" and likened the NEC to a "judiciary body." UA chair Michael Bassik praised the UA's bylaw change. "The UA bylaw changes were a step in the right direction towards increasing the minority voice on campus," Bassik said. Bassik added that the UA did not grant the Latino Coalition a permanent Council seat because it does not represent all of the Penn community. "It would open up the floodgates" for many other groups, Bassik said. Quezada said that after the longtime goal of establishing La Casa Latina was reached, the coalition decided to focus its efforts on more campus-related issues.

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