http://statenews.com As the Student Assembly chairperson of ASMSU, I felt it was my responsibility to write in response to the opinion cartoon that was published on Wednesday. I feel it is important to let students know the truth behind the ASMSU team building and leadership retreat by explaining why and where we had it, as well as what it has done and will continue to do for our student government. en-us Gryphon 2.2.3b-tsn (woodward)/Foundry5 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:31:32 -0400 webmaster@statenews.com http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44809 It would have been better for your case if you would have hid the fact that 20 cents of every tax went to this one event filled with corruption. There is no excuse for this, no matter what kind of a “sweet deal” you got. Even if it were one dollar a person, it was outright wrong and a waste of taxes. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:58:09 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44809 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44812 I want my 20 cents back. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:18:08 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44812 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44813 “To ensure that our spending was cost efficient, we chose the Crystal Mountain Resort because we were able to get a group rate that was unheard of, with lodging around $35 per person per night.” You know what would have been even mroe efficient than that? Holing up at the library, Union, or local Taco Bell. You’re a student government. Don’t think you’re so important and overloaded with citizenry that you need to go offsite to think about how to not be corrupt and wasteful. Retreats for business and government are assinine to begin with. With the state in the shape it’s in, there is no place for ASMSU, the Trustees, or a residence hall floor government to be taking a retreat right now. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:44:59 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44813 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44838 Why couldn’t each member pay for themselves if the price was so cheap? Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:24:56 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44838 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44849 Maybe because they’re volunteers Brian and put in a huge amount of time and effort already. This is by far the cheapest leadership retreat meeting of any department or administrative unit at MSU, both in total dollars and per person. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:10:36 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44849 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44851 “This is by far the cheapest leadership retreat meeting of any department or administrative unit at MSU, both in total dollars and per person.” This is comical. Leaders recognize when they must put those they lead ahead of their own desires. Is the university really so intrusive that these people had to leave campus to discuss initiatives? This was a waste of student tax dollars so that ASMSU leadership could enjoy a paid night away from campus. Period. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:33:15 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44851 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44890 Dear State News, As a tax collecting entity as well, i’m sure you’ll be happily disclosing how much money you spent on similar leadership retreats or on other dinners and such. You do support transparency after all right? Transparency such as how you spent $5 million on your building or renovating offices and spend thousands on much nicer dinners and events? Transparency…that’ll be the day. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:15:43 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44890 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44891 …its because…they should of had a V8! Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:18:26 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44891 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44893 Very Good, Very Good, My Dear!If I must say so myself. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:20:45 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/44893 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45553 Just some food for thought here: Consider how many students ASMSU collects taxes from. Multiply that number by 0.20. Now you’ve got the total amount of money that ASMSU has spent on “building their culture.” Now for the cherry on top – consider the range of services that ASMSU could have provided to students for that amount. Good thing our tax dollars are in competent hands… Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:31:32 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45553