They’ve done it again. The Student Association announced Sunday it would launch an e-mail program, Easy System, that would allow students to sign up for a service that would e-mail notices about upcoming events and job opportunities.

And the cost? $100,000.

The SA isn’t footing the entire bill; it is being split among groups who will be involved with the system.

Still, the SA hasn’t wasted money like this since the premier of Huskie Highlights in Spring 2003. Compared to the cost of Easy System, the $30,000 they spent on Huskie Highlights is pennies.

To spend such an incredible amount of money to send announcements to students is outrageous. The service is voluntary, meaning students have to take their own time to sign up. It will provide information about upcoming events and job opportunities in the student’s field. But, NIU has an events calendar and Career Services. Plus, plenty of information about job opportunities is already available on the Internet. Spending $100,000 to make this task a little bit easier for students doesn’t make any sense. Hundreds of student organizations on campus would love to have more funding to hold events, and this is how the $100,000 should be spent?

Although it is possible that thousands of students will want to sign up for a service that is going to stuff their e-mail with announcements, it is unlikely. Students get enough junk mail and solicitation as it is – they don’t need more.

In January, the senate announced a proposed 3-percent increase in student fees for next year.

It’s nice to know that the more money students have to fork over, the more the SA is going to waste it.