Inside the Crest

This past week, Student Government Association (SGA) passed resolutions urging the Administration readopt the outdoor orientation program — a move this column previously examined in full — and another, formally authorizing payment for this fall’s Midnight Breakfast. Both form reasonable and predictable legislature by SGA, represent some smattering of the student population’s desires and wants and require substantial financial investment.

Beyond the strictly limited legislative authority provided by the administration — as a recommendation committee — SGA derives its actual power from its fiscal stockpiles. Change through checks represents a faster means of conducting political business at Middlebury, and in many cases provides the most efficient means toward giving students one amenity or other. Simultaneously, the rigors of college life mean that students focus less on intangible changes, whereas progress measured in bills presents an easily quantifiable scale to judge SGA activity. Senators, eager to show their prowess, latch onto this monetary system as representative of their activity.

We measure intangibles using money all the time, and I do no suggest that SGA or the senators are necessarily wrong to use this structure. But when capital equates with progress — and we love progress — it means we have a political organ dedicated to outward cash flow.

On a practical level, SGA finances replenish at rate of a little less than $1 million annually. The Finance Committee for the most part responsibly distributes these funds, but there exists an enormous pressure on SGA to spend it all, including from within. For example, SGA receives approximately $11,000 as their share of the student-parking fee. SGA President Riley O’Rourke ’12 dedicated a considerable portion of his campaign to spending it all on various initiatives, even creating a Transportation position in his Cabinet with whom he collaborates to find new, useful locales to send buses off to.
But has anyone considered simply saving this money?

In its current form, SGA finances earn no interest and are not structured for investment. Yet at a time when the College continues to contend with previous budget cuts, it must appear ironic that SGA Finance Committee belittles student organizations for not coming in for more new money. Should we instead do our part for the health of our institution? Instead of waiting to spend SGA’s excess funds, it may be more appropriate to make available what little extra there is to the endowment, with the returns given back to SGA. The student activities fee is supposed to be provided for activities that are available to the general student populace, but providing it to the endowment does not strip those funds of their intent; the returns come back to SGA and then benefit students. If senators truly feel a need to send checks somewhere, then at least here the money does not disappear.