Tomorrow the entire student body will be asked to vote on two issues: class senators and MASSPIRG. While the former is extremely important to campus life in many ways, we would like to focus on the latter, the referendum MASSPIRG will be presenting to the student body. On the referendum tomorrow (which by definition is binding for the AAS Senate), students will be presented with one, very important question. Should students continue to fund MASSPIRG through an additional nine dollars in their student activities fee each semester? Here at The Student, we answer with an emphatic "No."

MASSPIRG as an organization has undertaken a series of commendable projects, and sometimes their efforts have yielded successful outcomes. We are in no way insinuating that MASSPIRG’s mission is not worthy of support. However, it is the methods of MASSPIRG, not their message or mission, that we see as cause for alarm. That MASSPIRG has failed to collect, for at least the past two years, about $30,000 a year that students have contributed as part of their student activities fee and refuses to allow any student to contribute without first collecting money from every student are enough to warrant a negative vote on the upcoming referendum.

Apart from being handed the occasional complimentary MASSPIRG sticker, many students were only introduced to the organization in recent weeks when they were bombarded by clipboard-wielding representatives in the Val Atrium who spouted off a 15-second synopsis of MASSPIRG while pressing students for signatures. These signatures, which the organization collected in an effort to accumulate the apparent support of 10 percent of students, were a requisite to allow the referendum to appear on students’ ballots without going to the AAS Senate for approval. They do not necessarily represent an adequately-informed 10 percent of students.

First, consider where the money comes from. At one point, the semiannual bill each student received included a student activities fee amounting to one percent of the total tuition cost and a separate nine-dollar fee earmarked for MASSPIRG. These fees were combined by an AAS vote after complaints were filed in respect to the additional fee. This combination of the two separate fees is purposefully misleading, and even if MASSPIRG funding continues after this referendum the policy should be changed.

Second, the $18 a year that each student at the College has paid (with the exception of those who have opted-out. But who knew they could opt-out? Who even knew they paid an extra $18 a year to fund MASSPIRG?) has not been collected and has not been used in recent MASSPIRG campaigns. It is the responsibility of MASSPIRG to collect the money from the AAS by presenting an official letter at the beginning of each semester to the current AAS Treasurer. This has not been happening, and the money has been sitting in an AAS account doing nothing but perhaps collect interest. In fact, MASSPIRG representatives did not even realize the money was not being collected until an inquisitive student investigated the matter. This indicates that, at least at Amherst, this organization has not been performing to the high standard we should expect as students, and as current monetary supporters of the organization. MASSPIRG claims to be such a valuable organization and touts incessantly at best and obnoxiously at worst their list of achievements. They are undoubtedly admirable accomplishments, but since AAS funds have not been collected in recent semesters, MASSPIRG has achieved these goals without any Amherst money at all. MASSPIRG’s mission may be something we support, but their slovenly methods are not. Vote "No" on the referendum this Thursday.