My demands for IUSA

I’m an insatiable critic of the IU Student Association, but last weekend I heard news that finally gave me a reason to be optimistic.

At least two tickets have applied to run for next year’s executive slate, and applications remain open until 5 p.m. March 8.

Now we know at least two teams want the job, it’s time to start proposing things for them to do for us. Here’s my first list of demands.

Stop paying yourselves

We all know by now that college is damn expensive. It should be controversial for student representatives to start handing themselves student money in any semester.

We should be even more outraged that the executives who approved it were elected unopposed.

The amount they pay themselves is small — only $18,000 total for the entire executive staff — but it represents almost 20 percent of the organization’s budget.

Look at IUSA’s total administrative costs — $24,500 with $18,000 in salaries and $6,500 for conferences, retreats and special events — and you’ll find they make up about 26 percent of IUSA’s budget.

This would earn them 2.5 out of 10 points on Charity Navigator’s Administrative Expenses scorecard.

That’s not acceptable.

Re-evaluate initiatives

According to many people, IUSA is the steward of student money. Sometimes the result of that stewardship is a bit puzzling, like $17,000 for touchscreens at the bus stops.

This semester, don’t settle for budgetary apathy from your IUSA candidates. Force them to come up with ways to spend your money that will actually benefit you.

My suggestion: school supply vending machines.

Why is it I can buy an iPad in vending machines around the world, but I can’t buy a pencil or a pack of paper from one on a college campus?

I can’t count the number of times I’ve accidentally shown up for a test missing a pen or some paper or a folder.

It’s absurd to force students to walk across a massive campus to the bookstore in the Indiana Memorial Union for a basic school supply when we’re practically throwing $17,000 away on touchscreen Hoosier Info Kiosks.

But don’t take my suggestion at face value. Come up with your own, force your candidates to work for you.

Advocate for students

IUSA desperately needs to initiate a thorough evaluation of its reasons for existing and then refocus on them.

It is in an ideal position to help student organizations navigate the intricacies of IU administration, but in the past the executive branch has failed to do that.

Coal-Free IU was apparently considered a “can of worms” throughout multiple administrations. Last semester, current IUSA president Kyle Straub said, “Either we are closed off, or people don’t know who to go to.”

In the past IUSA has claimed they’re open to student concerns, and in the next breath claimed they could only represent those concerns shared by the majority.

Just because a student group doesn’t represent a majority of students doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have equal access to the kind of insider knowledge and experience IUSA can provide.

It shouldn’t be for any IUSA administration to make a value judgment on a student organization’s legitimacy like the one made with respect to Coal-Free IU, nor should they decide whether a student organization merits IUSA’s time.

It’s not the IU Students-Like-Us Association.

­— drlreed@indiana.edu