Editor,
I am writing in response to three letters that appeared in Wednesday's Daily Lobo, the first being ASUNM Vice President Steve Aguilar Jr. His assessment of ASUNM funding is 100 percent correct. In 1999-2000, I served as the attorney general for ASUNM.
I watched the budget process first hand. Every Wednesday night I would sit through a two to four hour meeting that often addressed this issue. While my job required me to be there in case I needed to interpret the law book, I found the hours and hours of budget discussion somewhat boring. However boring, it does not mean it was not extremely important.
I saw senators spend eight to 12 hours everyday of their spring break, not on a beach enjoying their time off, but locked in the Student Activities office working on the budget. No matter how tedious this work was, it was imperative that these students worked diligently on creating a fair and balanced budget. The increase in fees is incredibly important.
Several student groups need this money, which brings me to Ramona Baca-Handoff's letter. She states that she should not have to pay for organizations she has no intentions of being apart of. I've never, in my three years at this school participated in a homecoming event. So why do I care whether they get my money? Because this money is meticulously divided out to all student groups that apply for it.
What Ms. Baca-Hodroff fails to realize is that the money distributed goes to organizations not affiliated with entertainment, such as the Agora Crisis Center, a 24-hour a day crisis hotline that connects victims of rape and abuse, suicidal thoughts and other heinous scenarios with trained counselors. This staff worked tirelessly around the clock helping people deal with the tragedy of Sept. 11.
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As for Student Court, it's not something ASUNM created to play "grown-up" with. I spent weeks dealing with the court during my term, over campaign expenditures. Everyone involved worked diligently to resolve this, putting endless hours into finding justice without disenfranchising students.
Consider doing your part to improve yourself, other students, and our University as a whole. Baca-Hodroff might sit uninvolved, but one day she might have to use one of ASUNM's resources. Without the few dollars of student fees, they might not be available. All organizations deserve funding.
However, the difference is that the Lobo gets it without going through the same budget process that all other organizations are subjected to. The University thrives on activity because without that we are stagnant. Without it we cannot grow as individuals, and if we don't grow we don't need college at all. The funding can't be centered in the Lobo. That's not fair to the many organizations that truly need more funding. Please vote for Amendment Four.
Jennifer Herrera
ASUNM attorney general, 1999-2000
