Editorial: Will Big Brother be watching?

The Associated Students Inc. board of directors is going to hear a half-baked funding plan for student clubs and organizations at today's meeting. While Vice President of Finance Devin Cook laudably wants to give clubs students more cash from ASI's budget, his proposal is poorly structured.

The essence of the plan is to allow students to vote during ASI’s general elections, for two clubs for ASI to give additional funding to. Each vote a club receive will turn into $2. After one year, one of the two votes must go towards a political club on campus. Another Cook proposal on the agenda would have students provide their on campus political 'party' affiliation.

There are several problems with the proposal. First, the clubs that most need the money will probably receive the least. In order to grab a portion of the student vote, any of the 360 or so clubs recognized on campus at a given time will have to campaign.

Flyers means money. The best-heeled organizations will be able to afford more exposure. Clubs operating near the brink will not be able to afford the exposure to bring them anything respectable.

Further, Cook's legislation has no protections on how the money is used by clubs. Unlike Dollars for Organizations and Clubs, which can provide up to $1,500 per club per year, Cook's proposal does not ask for line item budgeting of expenses or justification of the grant.

The political element would introduce more division on a campus that still has a long way to feel like a community instead of a congested freeway off-ramp. While there are differences between ASI administrations, organized political parties have no place being sponsored by ASI.

The directors should reject both proposals. There are ways to help improve funding for campus clubs and organizations but none should have ASI in the business of tracking the popularity of any political group.

Encouraging student envolvement is a goal of ASI. But it should not encourage division and competition for funding when student groups should be working on making CSUS a better campus.