For the second week in a row, dissenting voices made themselves heard before the AS Senate regarding a potential new club on campus.

The introduction of Salvadorian American Leadership and Education Fund (SALEF) to CSUN’s campus has been met with strong opposition from faculty and students in the Central American studies department.

Complaints against the off-campus entity establishing a chapter at CSUN include an unhealthy perpetuation of nationalism, deceiving scholarship requirements and SALEF’s lack of care for students’ educational well-being.

Central American studies Professor Douglas Carranza Mena, who is Salvadoran, said his group is against the ideological portioning off of Central American nations.

“We are all Central Americans,” he said.  “We should not be focusing on this kind of nationalism.”

According to the organization’s website, SALEF awards scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 annually to “Salvadoran, Central American, and other Latino college students.”

CAS Professor Beatriz Cortez said these awards are not given without a price.

In her speech to the senate, Cortez said students who are given these scholarships are required to compensate SALEF for the funds in the form of community service, work for the organization and fundraising.

CSUN students organizing this potential chapter were not at the senate meeting this afternoon.

This issue has been redirected to the AS Judicial Court where more questions may be asked of both parties before the senate is advised whether or not to support the group during their meeting next Tuesday.