Editorial: All about the benjamins

Far be it from most students to ask to pay more money to the University, but when the need is clear and the increase is small enough, sometimes it makes sense.

Such is the case with twin proposals to increase the two components of the student activities fee. The Duke University Union - which is responsible for a broad range of community programming - has passed a referendum question asking students to increase its fee by $11 per semester. Last week, Duke Student Government legislators followed suite, approving a referendum on hiking by $8.50 its student fee, the money from which goes to fund many student organizations. In total, the changes would increase the student activities fee by a third.

If approved by students during the DSG executive elections later this spring, the referenda would add $130,000 and $120,000, respectively, to the two organizations' budgets. And, in so doing, the referenda would alleviate one of the most significant obstacles to campus programming and organizing.

The Union in particular has demonstrated that it needs more money to meet the community's demand and that, given the chance, it will use funding judiciously. Over the past several years, the group has grown from a largely direction-less organization to one that is now a leader in campus programming. From Broadway at Duke, to Freewater Presentations, to Cable 13, the Union offers a growing base of on-campus social options. Increasing its funding would allow the Union to bring more and better speakers and concerts to campus. The Union could accomplish the same tasks by simply increasing its ticket prices, but doing so would be far more risky.

The case for DSG and the Student Organization Finance Committee - the DSG sub-group that distributes the money - is less strong but still worthy. SOFC distributes much-needed funds to student organizations, allowing the annual production of many campus events and the ability of other clubs to conduct their activities. For the most part, SOFC does an excellent job, but the organization is still plagued by insufficient advising for the groups to which it gives funding. Students should approve increased funding for SOFC for the sake of fund-starved campus organizations, but they should also push for greater accountability within the funding process.

Duke is in the midst of a culture change. Undergraduate greek life is changing - and, some would say, waning - and students are looking for other on-campus social options. Moreover, the campus and community arts scenes are searching for greater support. Increasing the student activities fee will facilitate positive changes in both of these instances.