In response to “NAU student body senate to vote whether to support ASA’s lawsuit against ABOR” (by Brittny Mejia, Feb. 18):

Why is there so much focus on forcing the Arizona Students’ Association to be an opt-in fee? Why not all of the other student organizations that college student fees? UA Arizona Student Media and the Wildcat Events Board are asking all UA students to pay a mandatory fee to support their organizations. Why have then not been asked to reconfigure their internal structure to be more efficient, why are these judgements reserved for ASA? How many students really support/like/pay attention to the UA Student Media?

The focus on ASA having to be opt-in is ridiculous and really has no basis for that judgement. If you think it’s awful that your student dollars are being used for this lawsuit, which protects the sanctity of the student voice, why not take a focus on the crazy amount of fees that are being taken out by the university every year? Do you really know where your fees are going, that you pay hundreds of dollars into every year?

At least ASA is an open organization, and promotes the well-being of all Arizona students. At least ASA’s budget is open for all to see, and at least every student has the opportunity to express their opinions during ASA committee meetings.

ASA was instrumental in “No Guns on Campus” and making sure that all collegiate students across the state are not paying an additional $2000 of tuition out of pocket, not able to be covered by loans or scholarships. Not to mention ASA has registered over 20,000 students to vote since 2008; what other organization has worked that hard for students?

Yes, there were many students who disagreed with ASA supporting Prop 204, including me. 204 was an awful bill. There were also many students who supported it, these are the people that many of us forget about. ASA, just like our great country, is run as a democracy. Not everyone will ever be in support of one action, but if the majority of people are then it is the job of the elected and appointed representatives to adequately represent their constituents and move forward. Regardless of that, does Arizona Board of Regents have the right to change the structure in which ASA is funded because of a political action that ASA supported? The answer is 100 percent no. There was nothing from the time that ABOR gave ASA an award for its outstanding job serving students to their discussion this past November about our fee that would have negatively affected ASA except the support of ASA.

Why is it so bad that an organization is standing up for the voice of the students? Why is it so bad that an organization recognizes the importance of standing up to a governing body like ABOR when they have essentially said that ASA is a great organization until they do something “political” that makes us upset?

The argument that ASA should prove its validity to students across the state in order to receive the $2 fee is redicilous. ASA has proven its worth for the past 40 years.

— Jack

One of the biggest differences is that the ASA is a lobby group, while the above named are services for the students. Like the gym fee, library fee or technology fee, they exist to fill a need for the student body. The ASA, while filling a need, attempts to effect change in the political realm, while the others listed do (or should) not. This distinction places the ASA under greater scrutiny and different expectations.

Oh, and our great country -> it is a constitutional republic. This is an important distinction! Otherwise the nation could vote out the “unwelcome” views similar to what happened to the “unwelcome” ASU members on the ASA board. When they scheduled the vote at a time they were unable to attend, “democracy” reared its ugly head, stripping the process of legitimacy.

— Robert (in response to Jack)