SOA funding uncertain

by Ari Anisfeld, J. Francis Buse & David Logan

For the past month, Grinnell College student activists had been making plans to travel to Ft. Benning, Georgia and participate in the 16th annual “Vigil to Close the School of the Americas.” But after receiving pledges for funding from various College departments and student groups, organizers were later informed that their budget was under scrutiny by the College’s attorneys.

Though the students who planned to attend the vigil Nov 21-23 were not initially told about the funding decision, administrators have since said that they would not support the funding. The group leaders met with President Russell Osgood and other administrators at 4 p.m. this afternoon to discuss the decision.

The students had already received pledges to help cover the approximately $7000 transportation and other logistical costs. But still roughly $2000 short, organizers approached Student Affairs to cover the rest. Director of Campus Center Operations/Student Activities Michael Sims, concerned about the legal implications of funding a advocacy activity, contacted some of the College’s attorneys.

President Russell K. Osgood, who said he was approached for help by Vice President of Student Affairs Houston Dougharty, advised that the College not provide funding because of a combination of both financial and legal factors.

“One, we’re being careful about every expenditure, we’re not selling jobs and anything that looks largish I’m saying no to unless it’s in the budget,” Osgood said. “And that’s one level on which this exists.”

“Two, over the last few years … going on what I’ll call “advocacy trips” has been discussed a couple of times and in general because the College is a 501(c)(3) charity, we don’t fund advocacy trips, just like we don’t fund sending people to a lot of things that are worthy.”

Osgood was referring to the Internal Revenue Service’s prohibition against political lobbying activities by 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, which is meant to ensure that primarily political advocacy groups do not benefit from the tax-exempt status afforded by a 501(c)(3) designation.

According to the information on the website for the Internal Revenue Service, “In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation…”

The IRS generally draws a distinction between attempting to influence legislative decisions as opposed to executive or administrative ones.
It does include some exceptions to the restrictions, noting that “organizations may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status.”

Osgood also cited safety concerns and said that the activity was not “squarely within our educational purpose.”

“So if someone came to me and said we’re going to the U.N. and it’s part of an upper level course in political science, I’ll be honest, that has more of a cache for funding,” he said. “But right now, I wouldn’t even fund that because of the budget situation.”

The “vigil”, a three-day event, which commemorates the killing of eight Salvadorians by a graduate of SOA and includes social justice and activism workshop, has been attended by for the at least the past six years, and has received College funding for a bus for similar sized groups for the past couple of years, according to Dean of Religious Life Deanna Shorb.