Fee requests need to be well-scrutinized by all

TO THE EDITOR:

The Sept. 16 edition of the DTH reported under Campus Briefs that “Congress voted without objections to appropriate $3,316.15 to Carolina Review.”

This funding decision, in particular, is much more salient when considering two facts. First, two students who have written for the Carolina Review sit on the finance committee of Student Congress, which is the original entity through which any request by a student organization is considered.

I will be the first to say that this is absolutely by no means evidence of misuse of funds. In fact, it is natural for those who voice their opinions about political matters through media to be involved in these processes as well. Simultaneously, it does raise legitimate concerns about the way in which funding requests are handled within the finance committee.

Second, the Carolina Review has a history of questioning the legitimacy of other student groups. For example in Feb., the Carolina Review article “Making Demands” undermined BSM’s presence in the Upendo Lounge of SASB.

While I am not at all curbing the right of anybody to engage in free speech, perhaps it is time that students voice their own judgment about the value of this publication to the University community. Especially in a budget climate of rising tuition and fees, students deserve and should demand an explanation of why and how this allocation was made.


Yash Shah
Junior
Economics, Political Science