This is in response to Tim Phelps' letter "Distribute ASMSU's funding to students" (SN 11/30) that ASMSU should refund students' money.

Great idea! Let's cut student government funding, giving this "wasteful organization" even less power than before. Being able to finance activities is overrated, anyway. In fact, I don't want any of my money supporting a group that brings student issues to the administration and city.

How about joining ASMSU and sharing these obviously well-thought-out solutions to them directly? I'm sure they'd love to hear how they can serve a "reasonable purpose in the daily lives of students." Maybe they could hold your hand, walk you to class, and pay your refund back in the form of milk money for a month. Would that be enough of a daily impact?

Obviously, ASMSU could run more efficiently, just like any other government body. Student government is an important part of this campus; taking away money won't help. The student body needs to be made aware of what ASMSU can do for them.

Informed students can change this university for the better through ASMSU. The problem is outreach. Reading about it in the newspaper is not a substitute for actually attending a meeting.

Stuart Kaltz
materials science and engineering sophomore