Jordan River Forum

Far from weakening the student voice, the explicit separation of the Graduate and Professional Student Organization from the IU Student Association should strengthen the overall student position by making a clear distinction between constituencies with very different roles, goals and needs ("IUSA represents everyone," Feb. 25).\nThis clear distinction makes it easier for administrators to know where to turn when they are trying to get help or information on a particular subject. An explicit statement of separation is simply a clarification of the current state of affairs. IUSA currently deals only peripherally with concerns of interest to graduate and professional students. The GPSO deals with such matters daily and effectively. At best, an attempt to gain seats in the IUSA would duplicate the clear success of the GPSO in representing the interests of graduate and professional students. At worst, such an attempt would weaken the voice of graduate and professional students on this campus by duplicating effort and perhaps gutting an organization that already has a good working relationship with the faculty and administration of this campus. In any event, the GPSO and IUSA can always work together on issues that concern the constituents of both organizations. \nFinally, about Travis Thickstun's belief that this movement reflects the wishes of "just a small number of leaders in GPSO:" My general impression at meetings is of overwhelming support for the actions taken. Maybe the lack of an "evident overwhelming call for separation among graduate and professional students" is a result of simply listening for such a call in the wrong place. I assure you that our decision to make this current de-facto separation explicit was discussed extensively and that it represents the wishes of many graduate and professional students.\nJohn A. Johnson\nGraduate student\nKeg tracking bill holds students responsible\nI would like to respond to the column Sarah Payton wrote regarding keg tracking ("Keg registration won't work," Feb. 26). This bill, which passed the House 95-1, is an important step in the right direction. Will keg tracking stop underage drinking? No. Will it increase can sales and liquor sales? Maybe. But this is what it will do: It WILL be a tool for law enforcement to hold the appropriate people responsible; it WILL be a tool for retailers to reduce their liability; and it WILL reduce youth access to alcohol from kegs.\nPayton says the key to reducing underage drinking is education. While we agree that education is an integral and effective part of the solution, it is not THE solution. If it were, most minors wouldn't drink and people wouldn't engage in high risk drinking behaviors. Students get education and information on alcohol beginning in grade school. So why is it that by the time they reach college age, 70 percent have consumed alcohol and almost 50 percent have engaged in "binge drinking"? Education alone will not reduce underage drinking.\nPayton also said that "responsibility is the key" to most problems students face. This bill is doing just that, holding adults responsible for their actions. I have no doubt that the parents of Seth Korona would want to know who was responsible for the keg that ultimately lead to the death of their son.\nWe are required to register our cars and are held responsible for our guns -- why not alcohol? It can be just as dangerous and deadly. If nothing else, this bill may prompt someone to think twice before supplying an illegal and potentially deadly drug to someone underage.\nLisa Hutcheson\nIndiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking\nEditorial mistakes facts regarding funding\nThank you for highlighting the Student Organization Fund (SOF) in your staff editorial ("Student fees need balance," Feb. 27). I would, however, like to clarify some details reported in the staff editorial.\nSOF, from which CASI monies are derived, is a part of the mandatory Activity Fee. Each semester for which a student registers, the fee is assessed at $58.87, not the $53.61 listed in the editorial. Only $2.00 of the $58.87 is directed to the SOF. Campus administration approximates 71,000 transactions each academic year for the fee, meaning the total fund is approximately $142,000. Further, it is then divided among three programs, Commitment to Assist Student Initiatives (CASI), Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and Student Organization General Support Program (SOGSP).\nSo, as you can see, even the total amount in the Student Organization Account is significantly smaller than the "$1 million" reported the editorial.\nAgain, thank you for highlighting the SOF. The Fund is an important and well-used program. The money enables student groups to provide programming to the dynamic and diverse student body of IUB.\nJennifer Komrosky\nGraduate assistant for \nStudent Organization Funding