Dear Editor:

I am writing to convey a serious frustration I have with the recent funding cycle held by the ASMC.  In the funding cycle, many organizations were left standing with nothing.  Let’s take a look at how money is given to organizations.  ASMC has a treasurer, in this case Ben Sauer, an elected official. Oh wait, he wasn’t elected; he was appointed, that seems convenient. Then, our appointed treasurer gets to pick a funding committee from a pool, handpicked of course; it makes things a lot easier.  Then, from that a pool, the Treasurer picks five members, again, all appointed by the appointed treasurer; so far, it seems we have a very democratic process.  From here, groups apply for funding; this select group of individuals then decides who gets what.  Some groups come out very well, others, not so much. One might say, maybe there was a good reason for not dispersing the money fairly, after all there is never going to be enough money to go around.  However, let’s take a look at two groups who did get money: Pre-Law Society and Scots Speak.  Both run by Ben Sauer, and both are receiving $2500 a piece. $5000, well that isn’t that much right?  Wrong. Student senate had about $9000 to disperse to organizations.  Two organizations run by Ben Sauer were given $5000, more than half of the budget available to student organizations.  Let us not forget that an unelected official, with a handpicked committee, was able to secure more than half of the budget.  This should outrage any student on campus.  How does this happen? Just this year, Ben Sauer wrote to the paper complaining about Student Senate and all the wrongs being committed, but it seems that now he is on the other side of the table, and has no problem hurting the students of Monmouth College.  This should send a signal to the college that ASMC has no other purpose then to look after their own executive board.  It is a case of a completely undemocratic process, that has hurt the students, and left many wondering whether corruption has hit the executive board of ASMC.  But we can always elect new officials next year, that is, if they aren’t appointed first. 

-Brandon Fuhr (‘08)

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