Bent Tree News

Last Saturday, next Saturday, and every Saturday in January, the Mock Trial Association will be practicing for their tournament in February. They’re working hard under their adviser Dr. Shabazz and coach Dr. Walker. However, they will not have much to get to the tournament with.

As a member of the Student Financial Advisory Board (SFAB) last year, I know that we had a long debate about giving travel funds to student organizations. We decided against it for the most part, we couldn’t figure how that helps the university as a whole. As a result, Mock Trial only received $300 in funding this year, while Bent Tree News and SGA were awarded more than ten thousand each.

Don’t me wrong, Mock Trial, like most organizations did not do a good job justifying why they needed the money they asked for—something I hope we can help with this year. But, looking back, I think they should have gotten more and here’s why.

When was the last time you went to see one of our golf team’s games? What about Track and Field? These are two teams that never, ever have home games because we don’t have a track or any golf holes. I don’t know exactly how much support these teams get from the school, but I imagine it’s more than $300. Of course, I don’t see any reason to begrudge them what they have, it just forces me to think about our priorities.

Both the golf team and Mock Trial are paid for out of student fees, separate from tuition. But the way things are now, we obviously value our athletic teams way WAY more than our academic ones. I’m not sure I understood myself why these academic teams mattered. I mean are no Ga Tech with a robotics team that brought the RoboCup 2007 to Atlanta. But then I watched a movie about a debate team out of Texas, and I thought about how much a winning Mock Trial team could mean to the university.

The Great Debaters (2007), according to imdb is

A drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school’s first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship.

The film is a bit overwrought, but I still highly recommend it, if for nothing but the climatic monologue at the end. It begins, “In Texas, they lynch Negros.” It’s still playing at the AMC 24 in Morrow. Check it out while things are still easy at school.

Compared to other schools near our size in our state, we spend much less percentage wise directly on student organizations. It took a long time before I understood why.

Our student activity fee is just too low. Some blame it on enrollment. We would have more money to spend if we had more students, they say. But Harvard University has just 700 more undergraduates than we do. Exactly how much bigger do we want our classes to get?

For new freshman, the Athletics fee is $125. The new Student Activity Center fee is $75. In contrast, our Student Activity Fee is $50. That’s $50 per student to pay salaries and expenses for Student Affairs which includes Counseling Services, Disability Services, Career Services, Campus Life, Student Conduct, Orientation and New Student Services, Recreational Sports and Intramurals, and SmartBodies. What’s left after that goes back to the students. Believe me, it’s really not much. Bent Tree News was very lucky this year. (You can help us for next year, just click on an ad.)

The fees for next year have likely been voted on already, without public debate. But next Fall, lets remember to make SGA bring it up and lets talk about it and see just how much our Mock Trial team members mean to us. For now, let’s wish them luck!

Update:  The activity fee only pays for part of the salaries and expenses of Student Affairs, the rest is paid for by the state. Also, an increase of the activity fee can only be suggested to the Board of Regents. They choose if the increase is merited.

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