I would like to take a moment to address this past Monday’s Northern Star article on the supplemental funding given to the Bass Fishing Club.

First, it was not mentioned that without some kind of extra funding, this club would almost no longer exist.

In the past, the club’s national governing body provided it with a boat, but last semester it took that privilege away, leaving them to have already missed tournaments and stand to miss every one from here on out.

As a bass fishing team it is necessary to have a boat to compete, period!

This instance certainly fell into supplemental funding’s jurisdiction as it was an emergency for the organization.

As for other groups, we encourage you to apply for supplemental funding, executive allocations or through our annual budget process.

These have been in place for years and are in no way restrictive other than through simple requirements we have set forth in our constitution and bylaws.

In my time on Senate, which is just shy of two years, this is the first time I have ever even seen someone ask for supplemental funding, although it has always been available to all eligible groups.

I have heard people say it is bad the group received $16,000, but I think it is great.

I feel this way because it helps keep an organization going, but also because the sizeable amount given to the Bass Fishing Club, has shed light on a great resource that too few groups have utilized in the past.