Letters to the editor April 21

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Implementation of rec fee unfair, only benefits some studentsI am writing to express my displeasure with the new approved recreation center fee that goes into effect in the fall. I voted against the fee for several reasons.

Like many Eastern students on the main campus, I am an untraditional student with a wife and 21-month-old daughter. I commute five days a week to attend classes and will never get any use out of my money, and I could really use that $130 for gas, groceries, diapers and other necessities.

I also think that more information should have been provided earlier to students on what exactly they were voting for, instead of placing a few signs on campus, as well as including it in the daily events email. When you only have around 4,000 votes on something that is going to raise the amount of money a student pays out of the total number of enrolled Eastern student body, it tells me that either people did not know or did not care. Yet, we all are forced to pay it now. To me this should have only been a vote by those who would more than likely use the fitness center the most – on campus dorm students – not everybody. And if a commuter student wanted to use the center, then they could pay a small daily fee or buy a $65 per semester pass.

Another possibility would be since none of the current Eastern students will get use of the new center, to start the fee with incoming freshmen in the fall, not the currently enrolled students like me who only have one year left. This way those students that will never use the center are not being forced to pay for something they will never get their money’s worth.

I know to some, they think the updated center is important, but in today’s economy with tuition going up each year there are a lot more important things my family and I can spend $130 on. Plus, I am here to get my degree, not become the next body building or ping pong champion, but now I have to help finance it as if I were.

Tim Cornett
Non-traditional student

Student government will lose its merit as a voice for the students if university officials are called in to overturn rulings

Almost 24 hours after polls were closed for SGA elections, the results were finally announced.

Take it from me, I’m typically a “stuff happens” kind of guy and try to look at the best of all situations at hand. However, I feel like the best of this situation is being mutilated by members who are unaware what the true ramifications of the situation at hand can lead to.

To me, it’s all very simple.

Candidates have standards and bylaws that they have to abide by.

Every single candidate, from president to student senator, is held to the same standards. They have met, discussed and signed documents stating that they are fully aware of what is in the Constitution and bylaws regarding elections.

The candidates are informed on their rights before campaigning begins. Therefore, every candidate running for every office was educated about the proper conduct of campaigning within the laws.

In real world politics and law, ignorance of the law does not mean that you aren’t held to it.

Furthermore, regardless if rules are old or new, the same ruling can be determined from either set.

It is really that simple.

The bylaws were violated and any other student running for elections would be held to the same degree of responsibility and the same sanction issued simply due to the unbiased nature of the inquiring committee.

Not only was this decision reached by the committee, but further upheld by the STUDENT court.

The justices are the voices of the students.

They interpret the Constitution and the bylaws that govern our student body. They found that what was found was, in fact, the correct ruling.

So now it’s down to this, crying wolf to the heads of the university because the organization at hand is governing itself through elected officials.

This just is nonsensical.

To bring this to them is mind blowing.

What if the decision is overturned?

What will happen to SGA?

From the looks of it, if a committee of SGA is set forth to do a job and university officials are called to down play the role of the Student Government, then what is the point of there even being a Student Government?

It takes the power from the people, and places it in the hands of the individual. Who is to say if this decision isn’t upheld that any SGA ruling, sanctions or acts will have any ground to stand.

Simply put, SGA will have no merit on anything it says because university officials can overturn the rulings because a single student cries wolf.

The students will no longer have a government, a say in university policy, residence lives or campus activities, because anything set forth in the Constitution or by the branches of the government will never been taken seriously by the university.

Right now the Student Government Association is at a vital point in its history.

With the ruling of one simple case, the entire institution can be nullified and the Constitution abolished simply because of bylaws being violated and students thinking they are above them.

Nick Brock
Vice President of Student Activities Elect

ISA’s efforts in Japan aid are commended and appreciated

I am writing to commend the International Student Association for collecting $1,144 for the American Red Cross Japan Disaster Relief Fund.

ISA very generously donated all proceeds from their recent ISA Dance Night to this cause. In addition, donations were received from the Department of Foreign Languages and Humanities Cherry Blossom Festival, Case Annex departmental office collections, Multi-Cultural Student Office, S.I.S.T.A. and several individuals.

Our Japanese students expressed to me how much it meant to them that their fellow students and friends cared enough about the disaster in their homeland to collect and donate this money.

I, too, am grateful to be part of a university and community that is very blessed and is willing to share with our brothers and sisters across the world who have experienced such a life-shattering disaster.

Beth Blanchard
Coordinator, International Services