Timing is irrelevant, ASB does deserve funding
We take issue with the May 4 editorial, "ASG's eternal funding debate." The Daily's Editorial Board agrees with the Student Activities Finance Board recommendation not to allocate money to Alternative Student Breaks, saying that it is not fair to give students' money to something in which every student could not participate. We, however, disagree with the very foundation of this argument and assert that because ASB occurs during breaks, it is actually the most widely available programming offered to students. ASB pulls students out of their Foster-Walker Complex "cells," away from the Tech Library, off the athletic fields and out of their student group meetings.
We are, by nature, a student body made up of overachievers, dedicated to our class work and extracurricular activities. It's ludicrous to assume that just because an event occurs before Reading Week then it is available to a greater number of students than ASB. During breaks there are no midterms, finals, meetings or study groups. They are, by definition, a time when every student could potentially attend an event. All students need to do is decide they want to participate.
We agree that for the most part, the Student Activities Fee should not be used for programming after Reading Week. A speaker should not be brought to campus with student money in July. However, ASB provides the housing, food and transportation to make our timing and locations a non-issue for participants. In fact, many international students find ASB to be the only financially viable option for Spring Break.
Nearly one-third of the Student Activities Fee will go to bands neither you nor I have likely ever heard of and, let's be honest, if it's a good Dillo Day, you probably won't remember anyway. In contrast, ASB trips have a lasting impact on the students who choose to participate. There will always be a reason why some students can or cannot participate in a given event. It is baseless to argue that just because ASB occurs over break, it is not as widely available to students as those earlier in the quarter.
- Paul overmyer Weinberg senior Outgoing ASB co-program director
- Kate Whitney SESP senior Outgoing ASB co-program director
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