We are two committee members with five years of combined allocating experience on University Park Allocations Committee. We are addressing the concerns expressed by the Collegian in Monday's editorial "UPAC Funding Moore Could Cause Concerns Over Political Speech."

UPAC policy prohibits "appropriations to any partisan political activity, or for the support of the political campaigns of any candidate for political office."

The committee determined that the Michael Moore program at the Bryce Jordan Center is not constrained by this policy.

The spirit of the program is to share the benefit of Moore's status as a filmmaker and significant public figure with all University Park students.

UPAC's mission is to enhance students' out-of-class experience. Allocating funds to the Moore program accomplishes this.

The request was evaluated on the same criteria as other programs UPAC considers. The committee did not "give in to the College Democrats' demands." We carefully considered the merits of this individual program and how it fell within the overall purpose of the Student Activity Fee.

UPAC respects the right of all students to highlight unique viewpoints through campus programming.

The committee tries to balance programming across varying viewpoints but is limited to programs proposed by students.

We have been UPAC members for most of our Penn State careers and feel this was a well-decided allocation.

We assure the University Park community that the Student Activity Fee funds are managed by a committee which will continue to allocate its finite resources across student-driven programming in the most effective possible manner.