ASG expenses are justified for all to attend meetings

TO THE EDITOR

We strongly disagree with The Daily Tar Heel editorial board’s views on UNC’s involvement in the Association of Student Governments.

ASG provides an incredibly important service for UNC students, and it is important that UNC continue to stay involved in the organization.

The editorial, “Students should have say,” from Nov. 5, claims that ASG’s expenses are frivolous. We disagree.

The stipends for positions in ASG are important to receive quality applicants, and allow candidates to be considered independent of financial status.

Reimbursing travel costs allows all colleges to be represented. Prior to the reimbursement of travel costs, many smaller schools and historically black colleges had difficulty participating.

If students would like more information on the merits of ASG, feel free to visit www.uncasg.org, where T. Greg Doucette, the current president of ASG, combats the allegations made by the editorial board.

Finally, it’s frustrating that many of the same conservative voices on Student Congress who are attacking ASG as a wasteful use of funds are the same students who supported the recent request of a gavel for the speaker of Student Congress which, if approved, will be paid for by student fees.

This is an example of the kind of frivolous behavior that can be thwarted with creative, realistic solutions, not drastic, unnecessary changes like withdrawing from ASG.



McKay Roozen
Student Congress
District 2 Represnetative



Lee Storrow
Student Congress
District 6 Representative