Vote ‘no’ on Union fee increase
During the past few months, the campus has been littered with signs promoting the LSU Union renovation fee. Union officials even went as far as handing out king cake to promote their plan. They should have handed out suckers.
Let’s face it, the Union is a glorified mini-mall. It houses such franchises as Barnes & Noble, Campus Federal Bank, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and PJ’s coffee in its prime real estate. LSU students didn’t pay to build the Mall of Louisiana, so why should they pay to rebuild the Union? Why can’t these businesses get together and raise their own money to make their “Union Mall” nicer?
The reason is they already are paying high bids to LSU for the privilege of operating on campus, where they have a captive market and can overcharge for basic goods and services. It’s up to LSU to use this money for renovating this “mall,” which would then draw larger bids from the franchises to remain on campus in an improved environment.
Unfortunately, LSU already has spent this money and wants students to pay for renovating shops that already are overcharging them daily. Where did the money go? Your guess is as good as mine. Administrators probably were given raises and promotions for this successful and profitable privatization initiative.
Former Vice Chancellor Dan Fogel was hired as a chancellor at another university after spearheading LSU’s privatization initiative. Chancellor Mark Emmert just got a big raise.
If the Union fee passes, the “Mall of LSU” will be nicer, but the customers will have to pay for it. Think of it as a Sam’s Club fee, without the better prices. It will make LSU administrators look smart for bringing in more money, and they will give each other raises. Meanwhile, students will pay up to $60 more per semester, not covered by TOPS, for the privilege of having nicer shops. LSU will continue to provide exclusive access to the vendor offering the highest bid, competition will not exist and the prices and quality of service will not look good, no matter how much money is spent on the exterior.
Marc Cooper
Senior — Geology
Tiger Weekly survey misleading
Maybe I’m writing this to the wrong paper, but I assume anyone who reads the Tiger Weekly also reads The Reveille. This week’s Baton Rouge Weekly or Tiger Weekly, whichever it is called now, has as its cover story “A $54 Million Dollar Priority?: 76% of You Say ‘No Way'” about the proposed Union Fee to be voted on next week. Then, the headline for the story on page eight is “Poll Shows Low Support for Raising Fee.” This poll shows 52 percent of students would vote “No” on renovating the Union, and 76 percent of students said a $54 million Union renovation should not be a priority for the University. After reading these results, you would think the Tiger Weekly staff must have conducted an in-depth poll of the student body to make a claim like this. But surprise, surprise, their poll consisted of only 215 random students. Most classes my first two years at LSU had more than 215 people, and considering this University has 30,000 students, I think that it is absurd to publish the results of a poll of not even 1 percent of the student body. To conduct a poll this small for an article in a widely distributed newspaper is unprofessional and dishonest, regardless of the writers’ standpoints on this issue.
Micah Cating
Senior — Elementary Education
Alumna supports the Union fee
I am writing in support of the Union referendum that will appear on the ballot this spring. As an LSU alumna and former president of the LSU Union Governing Board and Program Council, I know how much time students and staff dedicate to ensure that the Union is an enjoyable, comfortable and attractive place for all students, faculty and visitors.
The Union already provides remarkable services, hosts many events and offers an abundance of student activities, but the reality is the LSU Union is approaching its 40th year, and the building is in need of renovation and expansion. Student fees are the primary source of funding for the Union, and your affirmative vote will bring us one step closer to reaching our improvement goals.
A lot of brainstorming, strategic planning and decision-making has gone into the budgeting process for the Union renovations, so in the end, students will pay as little as possible but receive optimal benefits.
Looking back on my collegiate experience in the LSU Union, I have nothing but rich memories. During my four years as a student, the Union was the heart of campus; it was the central location to meet my friends for a cup of the oh-so-popular Starbucks Coffee, pick up a stamp from the post office, send a quickie e-mail from the computer lab, eat lunch and, most importantly, socialize between classes.
Please support the Union on April 2 so it can improve and expand its facility and continue to make your experience, and most importantly, your memories of LSU, fond and marvelous. I urge you not only to consider supporting the referendum, but also to consider getting involved in student organizations.
Lanaea Parker
LSU Alumna
Protesters should respect our troops
I read Mr. Treat’s and Ms. Debo’s letters Wednesday and they made me reconsider my view of the protesters. I always have thought protesting the war does not necessarily imply a lack of support for the armed forces. But the bottom line is many protesters are missing the point — they have failed to differentiate between disliking the leadership who sent troops overseas and disliking the troops.
Just as it seems ignorant to blatantly disregard the valid arguments of protesters, it is ignorant to assume that all protesters are making valid anti war arguments. While I value my right to protest, my right to free speech and my right to stick it to the man (i.e., war-mongering Baby Bush) without threat of execution, I haven’t acted in protest of this war.
I believe, in this situation, the right to protest could be a remarkably useful tool of persuasion and education. It does not seem it is being used that way. I have not seen any protests where the protesters are accomplishing anything but disruption and violence. While I have not heard of a single “Down with the military” rally, there is no evidence of support, either.
I have a personal interest in the War in Iraq, as someone I love is a marine with the 1st division. No matter how angry I am with the Bush administration, I am always 100 percent supportive of him. It was not his decision to go to the Middle East, but he is there to help people who do not have the rights we exercise so freely and for so little gain.
I understand many people are going to read this and quickly decide I am another war-happy Republican. I am not. In fact, I am encouraging the protesters to try to accomplish something in their protests. Try to change some minds. But please, please remember there are people just like you who are willing to give their lives to protect your right to protest and they deserve all of the respect and support we can give them.
Meredith DeFraites
Junior — English and Religious Studies
People should not speak against war
This letter is for all the anti-war protesters who keep saying President Bush is wrong in sending us to war. First, you all must realize this is not Vietnam, and there is no draft. Everyone who goes to fight in this war has chosen to serve our country and deserves our full respect and support. Not one of them has been forced to serve our country.
The reason all our parents did not support the Vietnam War was because people were going to fight a war in which there was no clear right and wrong side. Saddam has killed more Muslims than anyone in history. This war already has proven he has weapons he was not supposed to when he fired SCUDD missiles at us from a longer range than he was allowed to have. These are simple facts that prove we were right in going to war against him.
Second, the next time one of you decides you want to speak out and say we should not be going to war, or that Bush is doing something wrong, I would like you to imagine your tongue being cut out of your mouth. If that is not graphic enough for you, imagine it being ripped out with a pair of pliers or maybe even getting your jaw ripped from your face. Perhaps, if you insulted the president enough, some of our own country’s troops could come up to you in the middle of the day in your hometown, pull your arms back, cut your head off and place it in a plastic bag.
I don’t think many of you anti-war protesters realize if you protested in Iraq as calmly and civilized as you do here, these things are one of many that could happen to you. All of these things I have listed are incidents Saddam’s regime has done to people who have criticized his decisions in the slightest way. As much as I disagree with your protest, I am not telling you to stop because it is your right. I would, however, like you to remember next time you protest this war you are in fact trying to help Saddam keep his people from exercising the right you enjoy so much.
Adam Kurz
Sophomore — Civil Engineering
Christians open their arms to all
Many people have misconceptions about Christians and Christianity. These can come from an experience with a preacher in Free Speech Alley, or maybe a bad experience in church. Family and friends might also have led you to a misconception. These experiences have the potential to turn people away from Christ for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, not all Christians have the same beliefs as others, despite using the same Bible as our handbook.
But God already has sent a solution: Jesus Christ. God spoke of Jesus as “My chosen one in whom My soul delights. / I have put My Spirit upon Him; / He will bring forth justice to the nations. / He will not cry out or raise His voice, / Nor make His voice heard in the street.” Jesus was the perfect teacher. He didn’t have to yell, point fingers or call people names to get people to obey and follow Him. He simply said, “Follow me.”
No matter what you ever have done, God loves you unconditionally. Jesus told the story of a lost sheep to display God?s faithfulness. “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And when he does find it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In just the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.”
All Christians at LSU extend this invitation to you. The Christian organizations always welcome anyone. Each of them would love to have a new friend. I would love to have you as a friend in Christ. I will pray for you every day. I can’t wait to meet you.
Brandon James Sullivan
Freshman — Civil Engineering