Short Title: Human Rights Week Funding. (Public)

Sponsored by: Senator ELTING.

First Reading: February 7, 2001. Version Date: February 5, 2001.

Referred to: ____________________________________________________________.

Each year, the NC State University Standing Committee for Human Rights Week committee organizes and sponsors Human Rights Week, which is held on campus and this academic year is scheduled for March 25-31, 2001. Human Rights Week is a series of events that celebrate the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. It is also a time to recognize the global rights promised by the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The committee intends the week to be educational and to provide a forum for open discussion about myriad human rights and diversity issues, a significant contribution to the intellectual life of the campus.

Last year, the week featured involvement from more than 25 campus and community groups most of them student organizations. Topics ranged from discussion of the death penalty in North Carolina to the conditions faced by farm workers to the specifics of the Gen. Pinochet case. The keynote speaker was internationally noted author and activist Kerry Kennedy Cuomo, who spoke on the importance of "making a difference in an indifferent world." Cooperation with the Park Scholars also brought renowned historian and author John Hope Franklin to Human Rights Week for a discussion of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. In all, Human Rights Week offered nearly 30 events, and more than 1,500 students, employees and others participated in the week’s activities.

Human Rights Week 2001 promises to be bigger and better than ever before. The committee has secured two internationally famous and dynamic keynote speakers: Bill Schultz, director of Amnesty International USA, and Ward Churchill, a Native American scholar and activist. More than 30 campus, community and student groups have expressed interest in developing programs for the week. The week will close for the first time with a benefit concert for Amnesty International, featuring popular local bands.

As in past years, the Human Rights Week committee has received funding from across the university, including $6,500 from the Provost’s office, $1,000 from the Vice Provost for diversity and African-American affairs, and $1,000 from the University Scholars Program. The committee is currently seeking additional sponsorship of $1,500 from the Union Activities Board, and $2,000, requested in this program bill, from student government.

The $12,000 budget for Human Rights Week 2001 will be distributed as follows: $7,500 for speakers’ fees, travel and accommodations; $1,000 in facilities fees and permits; $500 for food at receptions; $1,500 for publicity expenses; $1,000 in support of the benefit concert and $500 for miscellaneous costs.

The NC State University Standing Committee for Human Rights Week requests:

Two thousand dollars ($2,000) from line item 1301, Student Government General Activities and Project Fund.