Another reason student government should be abolished

Even private universities are not immune from the plague of "student government" sucking down student resources with little purpose. Now the Marquette Student Government President won't talk to bloggers "on the record" perhaps the students should petition to do away with the institution. MUSG President Brock Banks sent an e-mail to one blogger that stated in part,

However, I am aware that you have a blog that also serves as a forum to address MUSG issues. It has been and continues to be MUSG policy not to do interviews with or provide press releases to individuals bloggers. These are reserved for media outlets such as the Marquette Tribune, Warrior, and other such news sources. Any “interview” would have to be strictly off the record and not for the purpose of your blog. If you have further questions about our policy, please contact the Communications Vice President Jillian Mertz.

That a student government even has a "Communications Vice President" is reason enough to call the whole institution into question. But consider the degree such arrogance is subsidized.

Marquette's alternative student publication, The Warrior, reported,

In Fiscal Year 2005, the Marquette University Student Government spent exactly $399,996.43. That’s a pretty big number, but just to put it in perspective, that much money can also purchase: 129 round trip flights from Milwaukee to South Africa, 1606 video iPods or 7,272 Fanatics ticket packages.

But of that $399,996.43, only 22.4 percent went back to the student body in the form of student organization disbursements. And for every dollar disbursed to a student organization, 48 cents was spent in MUSG administrative expenses. (ht:GOP3)

That's a heckuva slush fund for student activities at Marquette, and it's not surprising the student government takes the biggest slice of the pie. It's a pattern repeated at public universities everywhere.

I know once again I'll hear from someone claiming student government does some good, that it fights the evil administration and prevents fascism or something. But the reality is students are better off organizing on an ad-hoc basis.

I offer the following program to any group of students wishing to change their their student governments. At best "reform" takes hold for one year and accomplishes little. Abolition should be the call. Start now by calling for the end of all student organization salaries, and then run on a platform of sweeping the corrupt student governing body out of office. With no replacement.

Your fellow students will thank you for it.