In response to the State Press editorial published on March 20 titled, "Help us, ABOR, you're our only hope."
You stated the athletics fee was “passed without the consent of those who it will affect.” This quote misrepresents the process of approving the athletics fee and ignores the facts. Sensational editorials designed to drive readership do a disservice to the students.
Simply reading State Press reporter Joey Hancock’s numerous articles in October will inform you of our democratic process.
To reiterate it, the athletics fee proposal was first crafted by the Council of Presidents, who are the duly elected presidents of ASASU’s five student governments. It was then sent to the five legislative bodies for their consideration. Next, town halls were then held at each location on Oct. 21 to seek student input. The town halls were advertised through social media and we even took out a half-page ad in The State Press the week before.
Finally, the senators, who were elected by the students in a democratic process to represent the interests of the student body, passed this bill and thus approved the athletics fee proposal.
The benefits from the athletics fee are clear to all those who take the time to research. They include transparency, free admittance to athletic events, increased salaries for teaching assistants and free test preparation courses for graduate level exams. For the full details about how the athletic fee will improve ASU, please watch our video that was also released in October.
Furthermore, the shared governance ASASU and the ASU administration is based on mutual respect and trust of one another. The editorial's call for ASU President Crow’s interference in ASASU affairs would be detrimental to our partnership and set ASASU back 10 years.
Megan Fisk, GPSA
Jordan Davis, Tempe USG
Franz Ferguson, USG Polytechnic
Frank Smith III, USG Downtown
Howard Waldie IV, USG West
ASASU Presidents
