Come one, come all. Step right up and get your applications for Student Association loans. If the Student Association has enough student activity fees left over to (wrongly) loan money to the Gargoyle, then they’d probably be ludicrous enough to loan money to anybody.

I have been involved with the Student Association throughout my four years here, and I have never seen anything as blatantly ridiculous as this. This year’s SA Treasurer and her finance committee seem to have found a new way to distribute our activity fees. They have entered the wheeling and dealing world of high finance; they have decided to “loan” out our precious student activity fees to aid the floundering yearbook.

This absolutely appals me.

The Student Association is not a savings and loan. It is an organization trusted with the responsibility of allocating our student activity fees to proven, recognized organizations which go through the proper, and often rigorous, funding channels. The SA treasurer and the finance committee have overstepped their power boundaries with this move.

Let me point out some facts:

First, the troubled Gargoyle is not even a recognized student organization. They filed no recognition papers with the Student Association. So, not only are they loaning out money, they are loaning it out to a group which is not even SA recognized. Secondly, the Gargoyle has never been SA funded. So, they are loaning money to a group which has never been part of the funding process and/or proven itself fiscally responsible. Granted, I’m not a banker, but that doesn’t sound like too good of a risk to me.

Let me also stress this point—it is not the Student Association which is giving the Gargoyle this money—this money is coming from student activity fees. That, my fellow students, means that you, me, the guy down the hall from you who has three loans and works two jobs to pay for school, the Star editorial staff, etc.—we’re all paying money which is being loaned out at Lisa Schlepp’s will.

So, my friends, it seems that the plight of the mismanaged yearbook and the irresponsible SA Treasurer fall upon us … or should I say our wallets?

The SA is setting a dangerous precedent by loaning money out like this. It is also questionable as to the role of Vice President Dalton in this fiscal maneuver. Shouldn’t he have the best interests of all students’ fees in mind?

I have finally seen it all here at Northern. Student activity fees are now available for loans. Maybe if there are enough fees left over, the SA could help aid the national debt or feed the children in the Sudan. Maybe … they should quit playing bankers first.

Michele Begovich

ex-SA vice president

senior, English, political science