Tilting at Windmills

After cutting down its retreat expenses last year, the SGA has decided to roll out the red carpet for itself this year, more than doubling last year’s retreat budget.

The Student Government’s annual retreat expenses have been the source of scrutiny in years past, and last year’s SGA slashed the retreat budget down to $1,500, less than $700 of which was actually spent. Most of the cuts came from hosting the event on campus instead of on the beach, as it has traditionally been.

In its June 21 meeting, though, this year’s SGA unanimously budgeted $4,000 for a one-night retreat at Gulf Shores, and SGA Treasurer Michael Baldwin said the expenses are already “pushing the limit.” This isn’t much better than the $5,000 SGA spent throwing a party for itself in 2008.

The retreat has customarily been a time for SGA to relax at the beach on the students’ dime, all under the guise of “team-building” and “getting to know each other.” It was a relief to see that exuberance abandoned last year.

Referring to the cuts in the retreat budget last year, Baldwin proclaimed that “We have to spend money as wisely and efficiently as possible” in a Aug. 31 Vanguard article.

And he was right.

With tuition and all kinds of other student expenses increasing this year, SGA should be cutting unneeded expenses to be able to use as much of its funds as possible to help students maintain their college experience.

Travel funds from departments have all but dried up, but students still need to travel to conferences and competitions. Even though there’s no money, students still need to present research – education doesn’t stop for budget worries.

Computers and other equipment still need to be updated all over campus, yet that funding was one of the first things to go.

This is where the SGA should step in to help. Instead, they’re putting more money in the party fund.

And they’re returning to the same old, worn-out arguments to justify splurging on themselves.

Vice President Colin Al-Greene justified traveling to Gulf Shores for the retreat by saying, “The combination of everyone being together and in a different location will put us in a good position to grow as a group. It is a synergistic approach.”

Doing trust falls and cooking marshmallows together doesn’t do nearly as much for students as $3,300 more in the Supplemental Travel Grant fund would.

At the very least, this should have been brought up. Instead, the SGA simply put aside the money without a debate at all, according to the minutes of the meeting.

This year’s SGA has a lot of promise, so let’s hope this is only a small bump and not a signal of things to come.