By Shane Potter (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: December 7, 2011
I understand, really I do. You have exams, papers, friends, relationships. The last thing you want to do is be concerned with what your student government does.
I respect that, but you have to listen. This isn’t like the little high school political club or yearbook group at grade school or something; these guys are spending your money. That few hundred dollars every semester that goes towards SUS is supposed to benefit you. Some of you may notice the ever changing posters that litter our halls, those are not decoration. The posters are styling new types of neon yellow and size 200 font but you still can’t see them.
Let me get down to it. This SUS building, well, most of you don’t even care enough to be informed. I don’t know where you guys are getting your facts. No there will not be a pool, nor will there be a theatre, or anything else outside of what is printed on those invisible posters all around the school.
The referendum question isn’t even about the SUS building though, the building is approved; the vote is about the mortgage and if we want to go into debt for this building.
Sure taking out the mortgage will make it so we have a better chance of seeing this building completed before some of us graduate, granted. However, the interest cost from this mortgage will cost us an extra 4-6 million dollars on top of the 12 million we are already spending (two million of it we already have from the SUS building fees).
That’s a lot of money.
With that kind of money we could create a bus link for our students between Chilliwack and Abbotsford, only our bus could be a Bentley Continental or a Lamborghini Murcielago – your choice really.
However, I think having a building is a great idea. We need more space for AfterMath and our clubs and associations could use a place to go. Plus having a spot on campus that students can just hang out would be great.
I’m fine with that, and taking out this mortgage will get us that building faster. I just don’t know if we need to spend this much money to accomplish that, and I don’t like taking out a loan (for 25 years) that my kids—if I have any in the next five years—could be paying for if they attend UFV.
But the referendum will go through with a yes vote majority. Why? Because the students that complain about their student fees, that complain about the SUS doing this or that, or think they could do a better job are no where to be found during election time. The people who vote are a part of the five per cent that are in clubs and associations, are involved in school politics, and who use the programs the SUS offers.
Trouble is, the five per cent are not representative of the 95 per cent of our students.
However, the 95 per cent of you just don’t care and don’t vote.
Polling will be Dec. 5 to 9 on my.UFV.ca
