The Collegian

Issue date: 9/24/04 Section: News

Media Credit: Karyn Gilbert From left to right: Armando Cobain, Luis Hernandez and Francisco Thomas hold a banner protesting the ASBG´s spending habits.

Bright and early, Delta students put together a large poster disputing in red ink the ASBG's spending habits of the student representative fee (SRF), although what they say may not be entirely correct.

"We are the students demanding action," said Max Arrechea.

"Since the money is coming from us, it should be spent on the students, not just the ASBG," said protester Nancy Romero.

This group of students is going to continue to protest and talk in classrooms to find out what the students really want, because according to Arrechea the ASBG does not.

"I refuse to pay the $1," said an anonymous student who has been attending Delta part-time since 1998. "I'd like to hear the arguments in favor of the $1 students representative fee."

"They could make a program to help students pay for tuition or books who can't afford it," said sophomore Stefan Giffin. The group distributed a sheet saying the money is wasted on personal expenses, such as cell phones and backpacks.

"The students rep fee is for legislation," said ASBG President Carmen Avitia. "None of the phones or backpacks comes from the rep fee."

Some of this legislation, which clearly is stated on a shirt, not paid by the SRF, specifies how the money is used. It does not pay for student government meals, per diem or non-conference expenses, extra transportation, expenses outside student legislation. The protesting group says that the ASBG uses the money for cell phones, jackets, backpacks, and their conferences. Avitia said that the phones are work phones, so members can always be at 'hands notice,' "These are not paid for by the rep fee", she said.

"They shouldn't be using the money on themselves. They should use it on the students," said freshman Megan Berna. "I wanted to be in the student government, but not if they are doing that." One student thought they could use the money to bring a speaker to the school to tell students about their success.

"It would be good if they brought a speaker with that kind of money that is accumulated," said Liliana Sanchez.

"We can't use it (SRF) for a speaker," said Avitia. "A non-name speaker would cost $10,000 and that would be squandering the money. We have to use the budget for the whole year, not just on one speaker."

The opposition group was handing around a petition for students to sign about the ASBG using money for a conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

"We are a fully funded enterprise. (Nashville) is a advocacy conference," said Avitia. "They are misinforming the students, and it's sad that he would do that."

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