This is in response to Brandon Sethi's letter, "Student groups can benefit from funds," (SN 12/1). In your letter, you mentioned that you are not too familiar with how ASMSU does things, and clearly this is true. If you were familiar with ASMSU, you would know that the Funding Board is available to give money back to registered student organizations (RSOs). There is, however, one catch. In order to get money from the Funding Board, the RSO must present a well-planned project they would like funded. I know this may seem unfair - actually asking that a plan be established before the funds are distributed - but amazingly, this is preparation for the real world.

Back to the point. If you are unfamiliar with ASMSU as a source of funding, you must also be unfamiliar with the advisers of the many student groups you claim to be a part of. These advisers can assist student groups with options when seeking funding. Also, you must not actively communicate with the leadership of your organizations. If you did, you'd then know that one of the reasons for students groups to re-register with Student Life is to receive ASMSU funding. Therefore, if your student groups have registered this semester, they are aware of ASMSU as a source of funds.

So if you truly believe that ASMSU is not giving back to the student groups, and you'd like to throw around meaningless numbers, let me give you some meaningful numbers to think about. Last year, the Funding Board gave away $89,051.73, and $40,730.62 this semester alone. Before making any more assumptions that ASMSU does not give money to student groups, let's get our facts straight because we all know what happens when we assume.

Jason Bucholz
ASMSU vice-chairman of student funding