J.D. Dilborne
Contributing Writer
In the last edition of the Graphic, I was dismayed to see an article implying that Pepperdine’s Student Government Association (SGA) has not been responsibly spending the budget it is allocated (for use to benefit the student body).
Apparently, Jessica Blackstock had decided to investigate how SGA chooses to spend the approximately $150,000 it is given each year, which is made up of the combined $45 “SGA Fees” on each student’s tuition bill.
While I commend Blackstock for being responsible with her money and researching whether her investment is being put to good use, I must firmly disagree and clarify some of the conclusions she reached. I feel the truth was skewed and certain facts were withheld that reflected poorly, not to mention unfairly, on the Pepperdine Student Government Association.
As the previous article states, “in total, around $13,000, or almost 10% of the total budget, was spent on things that only benefit SGA members.” This would include the SGA retreats, the end of the year banquet and the jackets given to each SGA member.
First of all, to correct any misconceptions the students may have, we don’t just rent out a mansion and party all weekend on the retreats. The SGA executive-board has to rent a large (and as result, expensive) facility due to a very simple reason: There are more than 40 SGA members to accommodate! The Fall Retreat was held in a “house” located next to a Burger King, where we were packed in so tightly that people were sleeping in the closets and in the hallways. There was only enough hot water for about five people to take a shower. Are you getting the picture?
Like I said, these aren’t luxurious weekend getaways. Each day of a typical retreat is packed with leadership activities, speakers and workshops. The topics all focus on one common goal: how to better address the student body’s needs.
Two retreats per year are not only a necessary and reasonable expense, but they do, in fact, benefit the student population because we come back energized, full of new ideas, and basically just better prepared overall.
Secondly, I will address the jackets given to each SGA member. In return for one school year’s worth of hours upon hours of service to the student body (including weekly meetings that have lasted up to 3 hours), all we are compensated with is a measly $29 sweatshirt.
Now, I’m not suggesting that SGA members be compensated for our work because I understand that SGA is a volunteer organization that the members choose to serve in, but I do think that it is very much “within line” to spend .007 percent of the overall budget in order to give each SGA member a dang sweatshirt.
The bottom line is that SGA is made up of a group of students who are working very hard to try and listen to the student body’s wishes and make positive changes in response.
Blackstock should know this from her two years on SGA. Many things on campus are either paid for or accomplished by SGA behind the scenes, yet we are never given any credit for it. A few examples of SGA projects that have already been implemented this year are extending the library hours until 2 a.m., completing the new stairs up to Towers (started by last year’s SGA), extending cafeteria hours on the weekends, getting discounts for students at area retailers, working with Dining Services to get the convenience store in the HAWC, as well as a number of other things I could continue to list.
Finally, with regards to Blackstock’s comments on the homecoming halftime show (“I have to question the estimated $5,000 spent on homecoming”), if she or any other students don’t like the way homecoming took place, feel free to join the planning committee next year. I personally spent my two weekend nights prior to the event with the homecoming committee at Firestone Fieldhouse rehearsing the show, buying supplies, assembling the floats, etc.
The “Got Beads” T-shirts were the primary expense in the approximately $5,000 spent, and they were given out to the entire student body. If the main complaint of Blackstock’s article is in reference to too much money being spent on the SGA members themselves, I’m not quite sure how this is even a valid complaint. Save it for another article.
Oh, and did I forget to mention the Beach Bus? I’m sorry that Blackstock didn’t hear about it. I don’t know what black hole she is living in because there were signs all over campus, PepXpress e-mail announcements every single day, not to mention many other forms of publicity used to promote it. I hate to break it to you Jessica, but apparently the 25 to 50 students that used it each week during the three-week trial run found it useful. So useful, in fact, that we will be funding it again in the spring. See you at the beach!
Related Article: SGA splurges for jackets
03-17-2005