[Vision2020] Student Organizations at UI

[TIM RIGSBY]

Donovan:

"Your interpretation means that the UI violated the law
by giving the Muslim Student Association, Campus
Crusade for Christ, and about a dozen other student
religious organizations donated use of UI rooms,
equipment, and furnishings, which it does almost
everyday of the school year.

Are you suggesting that the UI stop donating the use
of rooms, chairs, audio and visual equipment, bulletin
boards and use of copy machine for advertising,
employees to set up arrangements, and access to
computers to religious student organizations? Or are
you saying that just the religious groups you approve
of should have access to state owned property? Should
I notify the Muslim Student Organization and other
Student groups through the ASUI Activities and Events
Coordinators of your intentions? If the UI donates
equipment and services to other religious
organizations it certainly can also do so for Christ
Church as well, and not to would be practicing
discrimination."

As a former student leader of an ASUI registered and recognized student 
organization I noticed some flaws in your previous comment.  When the club I 
was president of, PESSHA, hosted Drs. Tim  and Karen White to speak, we had 
to reserve a room in the Commons.  If we wanted to change the seating 
arrangement we had to pay a fee, if we wanted to use an overhead we had to 
pay a fee, if we wanted to use any technology other than a flip chart we had 
to pay a fee.  So basically when you state for fact that UI donates services 
nearly everyday to student groups you are not telling the truth.  Where was 
the donation of these services to the group I was head of when we hosted UI 
President and First Lady, Drs. Tim and Karen White?

Also, in order to support student organizations it seems as though a portion 
of student fees goes towards ASUI.  In order to become eligible for these 
ASUI student fees, a club must be recognized and registered with ASUI 
Student Orgs.  So in a way, the student fees that are paid by the students 
in a particular group or club go towards the use of rooms in the commons, 
sub, and anywhere else on campus.

As far as copy services are concerned, our department sponsored our club as 
well and allotted our club a certain amount of copies.  Anything in color, 
oversized, or otherwise not available in our department, was paid for by our 
club.  I understand that Student Orgs had a copy machine available and a 
large format printer, however, nine times out of ten, one or both of these 
machines were inoperable.  Then again, student fees also went to the payment 
of these copy services too.  I could not go to the copy center and get 
copies for free if these machines were unavailable, now could I?

Bottom line is, I pay student fees, you pay student fees, every student pays 
student fees, and we receive a lot of amenities.  Does everyone approve of 
the amenities received? No.  Do all of the students who pay student fees use 
every opportunity that come there way? No again.  But in the end, the pot of 
student fees gets used by the community of students for the better good of 
campus life.  Virtually all students benefit by the use of ASUI student fees 
and by the presence of student clubs and organizations.

Donovan, remember the old saying that there is no such thing as a free 
lunch, someone always pays.

_________________________________________________________________
On the road to retirement? Check out MSN Life Events for advice on how to 
get there! http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=Retirement