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Show PACE 4 THE THUNDERBIRD MONDAY NOVEMBER 3, 1986 OF SOLUTION: VOTE TOMORROW BE PART The attitude many people take to the polls, if they go at all, absolutely shocking. In many localities, fewer than 50 percent of the registered voters are normally willing to find the time to spend five minutes placing marks on a sheet of paper. Certainly, these are the same people who wonder why our governments can't solve problems like the national debt and funding schools adequately. Participation is an essential part of democracy, a part of America. Participation can also be easy. The election process is a media blitz where anyone can learn about candidates and issues. It's not possible to go a day without seeing commercials on TV promoting the candidates. In addition to television, we have messages pouring in from all directions in our newspapers, fliers, and even by word of mouth. The end result is that through use of the available media, all candidates have been given enough exposure that we know who is running for what and the issues they consider most important. For state issues such as the three propositons on the ballot, voter information packets are available in the SUSC Library. The only way a person can be completely uninformed is by deliberate effort. Everyone loves to be a critic. It's always easier to criticize those making the decisions than to be a part of the decisionmaking process. Why is this so? Why do people think they have the right to criticize government policy when they aren't willing to vote and send a message to those making the policy? Our system is designed to work ideally when people become politically involved. When a group of 50 percent decides a course of action for the entire population, it is hardly fair, but who's to blame certainly not the 50 percent who voted. Most people want to make their opinions effective, to make a difference in what is happening in the world. Tomorrow, we have that opportunity. Put simply, voting is a way for us to voice our opinions to those who make policy decisions for us. Do we wish to voice our opinion, or do we assume that others will agree with our viewpoint, and consequently our vote won't matter. Every vote counts, particularly in a year such as this with a close race in the first congressional district, and with three changes to the state constitution on the ballot. Our nation needs capable people in office who will help solve the problems we have. The deficit is out of control, we have disagreements over foreign policy, we have problems at a more local level concerning our schools and the community in which we live. Voters can make a difference,' if they' want to. Don't be part of the problem. Be part of the solution: Vote. Our. Lives Br T4LX fiAk is STUDENT NEWS AND VIEWS OF SOUTHERN UTAH STATE VOLUME 81, NUMBER Editor Delsy Kramer Associate Editor Ann Hollinger Copy Editor Greg Prince Photo Editor Richard Engleman Sports Editor Greg Miles COLLEGE CEDAR CITY, UTAH 6 Entertainment Editor Paige White Senior Staff Writer Kris Johnson Production Manager Gavin McNeil Advertising Representative Kellie Jensen Faculty Adviser Larry Baker The Thunderhird is published each Monday of the academic year by and for the student body of Southern Utah State College and is not affiliated in any manner with the College's department of communication. The views and opinions expressed in The Thunderhird are the opinions of the publication's individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the institution, faculty, staff or student body in general. The unsigned editorial directly above is the opinion of The Thunderhird as a single entity. Letters to the editor must be typed and include the name and phone number. Only the name will be printed. Names will not be withheld under any circumstances and the editor reserves editing privileges. Letters must be submitted by noon Friday for inclusion in the following week's edition. The Thunderhird: editorial and advertising 9384, Cedar City, UT 84720 (801) offices in SUSC Library 103 Mail at SUSC Box 7758. TAB - us, TVlr Roles. Lot TtfEV Do A OF JE TAAT DON'r St UHDEKSTAHb. TO VAJiSlt ONCE, X TrIA T X CoUL.0 GET W ORP ARE You Goliu To idE O tC 'TwJO Senate officer defends stipend hike Access' is a recurring column in which members of the campus community adress items of interest andor concern. This column is by MONICA MOE, president pro tern of the ASSUSC Senate. It has been edited to conform to space limitations. After reading The Thunderhird editorial of last week, realize that there is a misunderstanding of the way money involved in a stipend increase has to be dealt with. To make matters clear, the senators did not vote on and pass a bill to increase their stipends. They onjy voted to send the idea to Alan Bailey's office for investigation and consideration. Student fees are broken down into line items, which include the student government stipends. Each year the school's administration determines a number called the FTE e equivalent), this is the number of fulltime students attending the college per quarter in an academic year. This number is used to allocate monies under the student fee line items. The more students that attend the college the more money each organization will get. Last spring, when the amount of $1 was approved as the amount allocated for stipends from student fees, a budget was outlined. It was decided that senators would receive $50 per quarter and executive council members $100 provided they efficiently served their positions. At that time we were using the FTE of 21 50 students, thus our our budget was set at $2150 ($1 x 2150). Fall quarter the FTE for 1986-198- 7 has been projected at somewhere near 2600. In essence, that means that stipend allocations would total $2600 ($1 x 2600), an increase of $375. Once money is set aside as a student fee line item it cannot be used for any other purpose than what it has been alloted for. The fact is, if the surplus money is not it still could not be used for anything else until after fiscal year 1 986-- 1 987, which ends June 30. After that date the money will go into fund balance I (full-tim- THE TAX M are PoUTiCANS- and could be used for almost anything. This isn't the Robin Hood Syndrome of the rich taking from the poor. As long as this stipend increase stays relative to the FTE increase, it will have no effect on the General Fund budget whatsoever. This money would not be stored" in the stipend account. It could not be used by anyone else because it is constitutionally "locked" into that account until the end of the fiscal year. The senate could not allocate it anywhere else because of "formalities." So, we are not "taking from the poor (other clubs and organizations) to give to the rich (ourselves)." We are excess funds within our constitutionally stipend budget. Your editorial claimed that many other departments could use the money. It mentioned the music and theatre departments specifically. OK, the music and theatre departments, along with executive council, general fund, Waukeenyans, student publications (The Thunderbird), open recreation, cheerleaders, and rodeo team will all be affected positively by the FTE. Every one of these line item members will get the same budget increase. There is no "extra money floating around." A!! the money that could surface because of the FTE increase will automatically credit each line item account with the same percentage increase. The senators are not sacrificing any other programs to benefit ourselves, and we are not fattening our pocketbooks by any means. If the student government members were getting paid on an hourly basis per quarter, they would be making barely minimum wage. We feel to preserve the quality of the student government we must offer a fair incentive. The student senate is not guilty of unfairly distributing student funds for its own sake. Sending the stipend increase to Alan Bailey's office for consideration and review was merely a formality. There are absolutely no clubs, organizations, programs or departments that will suffer if this bill is passed later in the year. |