Sometimes the best thing to do with a little extra cash is spend it rather than give it back.

MSU received $1.6 million in additional appropriations from the state Legislature beyond what they expected. The MSU Board of Trustees is currently deciding what to do with the extra money.

The administration's recommendation is to put the money toward financial aid programs for disadvantaged students, rather than refund a portion of students' $65 energy fees for the spring semester.

ASMSU, the MSU student government, agreed with the administration's proposal after a heated debate.

The needs of the disadvantaged, in this case, outweigh students' wishes for a small refund. Giving more funds to financial aid is the best perceivable way to spend that money.

If refunded, which the board is unlikely to do, students would receive about $35.50. The small amount is not enough to justify writing the checks and sending them to students.

Fewer than $40 is simply a drop in the bucket compared to what can be done with $1.6 million. The money would be more efficiently spent if placed in an endowment toward future scholarships.

Getting something done with the money is better for the university's image. It is even better for the students who will now have an opportunity to attend MSU.

Getting the money back after spending so much on tuition, books and other fees is, in the end, not worth the hassle of obtaining it.

Not every dime students pay for tuition directly benefits them. The university has the right to use its budget for any costs. That's how a large institution works.

They should be allowed to expand the financial aid portion of the budget, but it is not something which should always be done. The decision of the board has little bearing on future instances of additional appropriations than originally called for in the budget. This should be decided on a case-by-case basis.

The potential refund isn't enough to make it worthwhile for students, but, in the future, it could be. If individual refunds were worth more, such as hundreds, then students should have that money and spend it however they choose.

It is much the same way with taxes given to the government. Sometimes the amount paid by citizens is enough to trigger tax cuts and refunds. Other times the best course of action is to use the additional funds to improve an existing program.

One of those times is now.