Student leaders, upset because of an unfilled position geared toward diversity in one of the university’s most heavily funded student programming groups, convened yesterday and voiced their concerns in an open forum hosted by the group’s executive board members.

The more than one dozen students representing more than six different organizations said the decision made by the Council for University Programs (CUP) to not fill its diversity chair was one they could not support.

“I did not agree with [CUP leaving vacant its diversity chair],” said Whitney Montgomery of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., after the hour-long meeting. However, Montgomery said she thought the forum was productive and helped her understand why CUP did not plan to fill the position.

CUP President Amanda Zoglio explained that one of the purposes of the diversity chair was to plan and sponsor various cultural events, but also said the group “always had a problem trying to figure out what [the diversity chair’s] purpose is.” Zoglio added that the funds earmarked for programming through the diversity chair would now be budgeted to other committees in her organization who would always keep diversity “in the back of their minds.”

“Instead of secluding culture and diversity … we’re spreading it throughout CUP,” Zoglio said.

Still, Latin American Student Organization President Sergio Marrero said further action needs to be taken.

During the meeting, Marrero suggested that CUP add to its student group constitution language concerning collaboration with other student groups.

“We want to unite. We want to be able to build relationships … show we’re excited about working together,” he said.

Zoglio said she thought the meeting went “amazingly well,” and one of the more important ideas she left with was to work on establishing relationships with other student groups.

“The most important thing is to not only build relationships but to maintain relationships. And not just saying that, but actually doing it,” she said.

A second meeting was scheduled for July 19, but as yesterday’s meeting was to open a dialogue between student groups, the second meeting will include formal suggestions from concerned student groups about CUP’s diversity chair.