After months of discussion over the Riverside School of the Arts (RSOTA), a youth development program that provides low-cost classes in dance, music and art, members of ASUCR are planning a day of action on Tuesday, May 27 at Riverside City Hall. Launching the ARTS (ACT to RESCUE and TRANSFORM the SCHOOL) campaign, senators hope to shore up support from the Riverside City Council to further fund the art school, which currently faces the risk of closing due to budget cuts.
“(The) school has been a crucial part of our community in terms of serving the youth, particularly the youth who don’t have the ability to have education and self-esteem programs,” exiting president Sai Patadia said in a previous ASUCR meeting. “The school needs $70,000 to stay open.”
Riverside Parks and Recreation Director Ralph Nunez said the arts school — which opened back in 2012 — has survived from the existing city parks budget, outside donations and cutbacks in both staffing and equipment. Nunez also told other news sources that the school unexpectedly mushroomed from 50 to 400 students within the last two years, giving Riverside officials limited time to prepare for long-term funding and planning.
In hopes of preserving the arts school, Collette Lee, a Riverside agent with Windermere Real Estate, contacted Patadia back in late March about a charity contest being held by her affiliated foundation. RSOTA had become a finalist for a $25,000 grant for the Windermere contest, but their hopes were quickly dashed after the organization failed to garner enough support by the April 4 contest deadline.
Despite the funding setback, Lee told press officials that her real estate office, the Latino Network, The Group and the Junior League of Riverside already raised more than $38,000 to help keep the school afloat.
“Now that we didn’t get the scholarship from the foundation, we’re going to (ask) city hall to continue to fund the arts program especially since so many students … actually go through that school and because it provides a lot of opportunities,” said Senator Fernando Echeverria.
Hoping to take on more of an assertive role, senators launched the ARTS campaign in mid-May. Patadia plans to mobilize about 50 students during the upcoming city council meeting, yet he noted current roadblocks that may affect the campaign by saying, “(The city council) is supposed to have a meeting on (May) 27, but because of Memorial Day, they’re actually canceling the meeting so we’ll have to give you an update.”
Echeverria and Outreach Director Mina Kato are collaborating with Patadia by spreading awareness about the arts school through means of social media and campus outreach. Kato encouraged all members of senate to attend and support the initiative by making posters for the May event.
To local resident and Riverside Police Chief Sergio Diaz, the arts school has the potential to make a greater impact on the surrounding community. “Young people who are involved in positive activities, whether they be sports, arts or crafts, that’s a good way of keeping kids out of gangs and out of trouble. I urge you to support the Riverside School of the Arts,” he said in a YouTube video.
Other notable ASUCR agenda items:
Wednesday’s senate meeting witnessed the passage of three resolutions: one to encourage the UC endowment fund to divest from fossil fuel companies; one to recognize April 24 as the official day of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide; and another to create awareness about sexual assault on college campuses.
During a previous ASUCR meeting, senators passed the same fossil fuel divestment resolution that contained edits which changed the resolution’s meaning. According to Senator Nayeli Figueroa, the edits essentially “changed the meaning” of the original resolution, which made the Legislative Review Committee decide to bring back the resolution for a successful re-vote last week. Some changes to the resolution narrowed the focus from all to the top 200 fossil fuel corporations.
Senators also passed the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Resolution, which recognizes the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire back from 1915-1923, leading to the torture and starvation of over 1.5 million Armenians. Currently, 48 out of 50 U.S. state governments acknowledge the occurrence, yet the federal government does not due to conflicting military interests. This is the second consecutive year that the ASUCR senate has recognized the Armenian resolution.
Through the sexual assault education requirement resolution, senators plan to advocate to the UCR administration to support the continuation of self-defense classes, campus safety escort services and safety information sessions. The resolution also encourages the senate to take steps to require all fraternities and sororities undergo mandatory sexual assault education to continue as a registered organization on campus.
