IUSA DENIES CALM FUNDING

Members of the Citizen's Alliance for the Legalization of Marijuana
found themselves in an unfamiliar situation Tuesday, as the IU Student
Association denied funding for an upcoming festival.

IUSA refused CALM's proposal of $1,375 from the Grass Roots Initiative
Fund, which had been authorized in 1991. CALM was looking to use the
funds for their "Fall Fest" to pay for musical acts and guest speakers.

"I was surprised by the vote," IUSA Congressional Secretary Alan Grant
said. "For the last four or five years they have received the funding."

The proposal received 13 yes votes, 21 no votes, and 8
abstained.

"I didn't feel it was fair to spend student money on a full
student-supported event," said Greek South Representative of Congress
Liz Senn. "It didn't seem like something for all of the students."

Jesse Laffen, Chief Policy Advisor, was one of the first to see the
proposal and had to recommend some changes before it even went to the
floor.

"The GRIF budget is only $10,000, and they (CALM) were originally
asking for $2,700," Laffen said. "That was over a quarter of the
budget so $1,375 was what I sent to committee."

Laffen said CALM originally told him they would be looking to
advertise off-campus, and that $300 of the funding would be used to
buy the guest speakers' and the bands' dinner after the show. Laffen
felt it unnecessary to purchase dinners for the bands and speakers if
they had done the show for free to support the cause in the past.

"When they went to floor, their story changed," said Laffen. "They
said that the $300 was going to be for a state-wide recognized band,
and that they were planning to advertise in the IDS."

Laffen also said that in the past, the group had always asked for less
money than this year's request, but had always received the funding.

"Had the bill passed I would have gladly signed it," IUSA President
Casey Cox said. "But it all depends on presentation and whether or not
Congress feels it's worth the funding."