MUSG has taken the student body for granted as long as I have been at Marquette. It has rarely gone back to the student for ideas, input, or analysis. MUSG knows the student will always be there, Activity Fee money in hand, ready to elect another year of bureaucrats into office.,”

Marquette Student Government has taken the student body for granted as long as I have been at Marquette. It has rarely gone back to the students for ideas, input or analysis. MUSG knows the student will always be there, activity fee money in hand, ready to elect another year of bureaucrats into office.

MUSG's purpose is not to train eager students into amateur politicians, but to provide a positive experience for the students it serves. Scott Seramur and I know this seemingly obscure fact about the organization, and that is why we are running.

Marquette students are cost-conscious, so they want to know where their money is going. Go students on the street and ask them for $54, and I promise you will either be ignored or asked for a good reason why. Since students have to pay the activity fee, they want to know what MUSG is doing with it. Students are investors in the MUSG budget, and when someone makes an investment, they are entitled to know what is being done with their money. When we are elected, Scott and I will give students what they are entitled to, an opinion on how their money should be spent.

The student has not been able to voice his or her opinion on MUSG issues because they have been just that, MUSG issues. It has kept its activities away from the student and locked inside its office.

Contrary to what Tuesday's editorial "Weighing the options" said, it is not naive to believe students want to know what is going on. MUSG simply chooses not to publish what is happening. Sure, anyone could walk into the office and ask, but few know where the office is. Letting students give their input when Scott and I are in office will be as simple as putting the location and time of our office hours on a poster. Furthermore, we will publish a detailed budget, letting students know what money is going where. Finally, we will look to student organizations for programs, instead of it being dictated by MUSG. Bottom line, the students will be in charge when we are in office, because that is how MUSG is meant to be.

Matthew is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences. He is running for MUSG executive vice president on the Scott Seramur ticket.

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