We were extremely disappointed with Thursday’s editorial, “Executive must respect Senate decision.” It misrepresented President Amelie Rousseau’s decision to veto the Athletics and Contracts Finance Committee’s budget.
As the editorial states, the most important part of the ASUO president’s job is to be a voice for all students.
Students have shown time and time again that there is widespread support for the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group. Last year’s ballot measure passed with record students voting. A majority, over 2,100 students, voted to fund OSPIRG. And, this year’s petition was signed by close to 4,000 students. The Senate has had ample opportunities to listen to students but continues to deny OSPIRG funding. In a case like this, where student voices are not being heard, it is important for President Rousseau to take action to ensure that her constituents are being represented. President Rousseau is respecting the students’ decision.
Furthermore, OSPIRG is a valuable organization that provides a service to University students. We aren’t just students ­­— we are citizens of Oregon and America. We need an organization like OSPIRG to lower health insurance costs for all Oregonians, or stop credit card companies from ripping us off. The decisions on these issues are not being made here on campus, but in the halls of government where we need representation. OSPIRG is one of the best organizations to represent us, because it’s effective. In 40 years of grassroots organizing and advocacy, OSPIRG has been able to take on health insurance companies, credit card companies, textbooks publishers, oil companies and more to win concrete results that make all of our lives better.
The Senate should have voted to fund OSPIRG because it is a valuable organization and students support it. President Rousseau’s veto will hopefully right this wrong.
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