By WilfriedZehourouBSU

This is my official statement:

The Black Student Union has partnered with a multitude of organizations,
including MPAC, BMW, Omega Psi Phi, Alpha Phi Alpha, Black GAPSA, La Raza,
MESA, MSA, and departments such as The African-American and African Studies
department, The office of University Women, The office of equity and
diversity, the office of student affairs, MCAE, and a multitude of other
University entities on a variety of well planned, well organized, and well
advertised initiatives. We have reached across all racial, gender, and
socio-economic lines, and have tapped into programming that has
challenged,united, enlightened, and brought together faculty, staff,
students and community. We have existed since 1967 and have aided in
Bringing forth The African-American and African Studies department and have
aided in bringing forth many of the programs and benefits many students of
color on this campus enjoy. Our organization knows its history and knows
itself. Our requests were honorable, well detailed, and well planned.
Clearly, the Committee did not take its time to understand the needs of the
African-American student community and the role it plays in the greater
University community in promoting "Diversity Education". Clearly, the
committee does not understand the partnerships, collaborations, and great
strides we have made on this campus. Clearly, the committee does not
understand that we've brought thousands of high-school students through our
college day program through a partnership with the office of admissions
which has brought more potential students to the University while bettering
our community which is the purpose of a land grant institution such as the
University. I am sure this matter will be reconciled, as I have the vote of
confidence of not our general membership, but of a multicultural coalition
who understand the role we play on this campus. We've planned since April
2007 for our Fall and Spring events for the 07-08 year, and have worked
diligently to make things happen. The student activities office,our
advisor, our records, and other individuals can attest to us having been at
work since we were elected last April and having toiled through the summer
and to this very day for the University community. This last point is to
dismiss the silly notion the committee seemed to have of us and I quote:
"The committee saw a distinct lack of effort made to expand programming for
the upcoming year, with the same number of events planned and the
substantial requested increase earmarked almost entirely for more
well-known speakers. However, the organization appears to have failed to
take into consideration the draw of such speakers when reserving space and
food for these functions, as well as demonstrating a considerable lack of
realistic planning to secure such speakers....The Student Services Fees
Committee recommends that more funding be spent on advertising around the
entire campus in order to reach more students. The committee also
recommends that this organization create more events designed to increase
awareness of what it does." ....What a ridiculous notion!!!!

The Committee questions our number of events. I chuckle and ask, have they
seen our event calendar? It is not the Quantity, as we do have a great
number, but it is rather the quality of our programming and our impeccable
fund-raising, accounting, and record keeping which makes us an exceptional
organization. Yes, we do want greater speakers and the ability to make
greater initiatives happen for our campus community, but as records can
attest we've gathered more than $25,000.00 in grant funding this year and
planned on raising more for the upcoming year. This not only shows
initiative, but it shows that we were not counting on the University alone
to be our sole source of program funding. Alas, maybe it was a
misunderstanding and maybe the committee did not properly comprehend the
nature of our organization and its vast impact on the University but I
certainly hope we can reconcile this matter at the upcoming hearing.

Yours Truly,

Wilfried S. Zehourou