Deltas understand senate's no vote on show |
Flora Carson |
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My sole purpose in writing this letter is to clear up any misconceptions Alestle readers have about Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. We are a public-service sorority that serves the SIUE community in all capacities. Our sorority was one of the first black Greek letter organizations to be chartered on this campus in 1964. We have sponsored clothes drives to benefit the destitute; penny drives to buy care products for crack-addicted and HIV-positive babies; and along with Habitat for Humanity, we have helped build homes for low-income families. Our sorority is dedicated to improving campus life. We provide entertainment for the student body in the form of poetry readings, book clubs, fashion shows, comedy shows and dances. The sorority's recent problems with student government over our late comedy show program request may cause you to question our credibility. Therefore, I am writing to tell you that Delta's reason for submitting a late request was an honest reason. I do not need to give you explicit details regarding our late request, since the memo we submitted specifically to the finance board explaining our situation was printed in the Jan. 25 issue of the Alestle - hats off to Alestle reporter Brian Wallheimer. We could have constructed some fancy lie about our request being late and produced some artificial document to justify our reason. Yet, Delta operates under the virtue of honesty. I understand organizations exist that misuse and abuse the privileges and money available through the student government funding process. However Delta Sigma Theta is not one of those organizations. Every nickel, dime and penny we have ever made, from events sponsored through student activity fees, have always gone back into the student government account. Every piece of advertisement we circulate throughout the campus and surrounding communities has always read, "Funded in whole or part by student activity fees." The only benefits we receive from these events are the publicity for the Delta name and furthering our ultimate goal of serving the public. As comedy show coordinator, I honestly felt that SIUE's senators would focus on the quality of the comedy show and how it would benefit the campus as a way of commemorating Black History Month. Nevertheless, the tardiness of the request overruled the merit of the event. I commend SIUE's senators for their outstanding job of enforcing policies and procedures and making sure student fees are spent wisely: the senators play hardball, cutthroat politics. However, I must question whether in the midst of putting down their feet, is student government running the danger of knocking down events that will be beneficial to the campus and student body? Please, do not misinterpret my argument. I am not asking student government to bend the rules. But, if you are going to play strictly by the rule book, create an avenue for organizations to travel when things simply happen. I agree completely that organizations should exercise prior planning and think strategically when planning programs, but it is a two way street. On Jan. 28, the senate voted "no cash for laughs" to Delta Sigma Theta's seventh Annual Comedy Show. My Delta sisters and I were saddened by the results, wondering if we would have to cancel or postpone a traditional chapter event. Minutes after I arrived home to think about our loss, Phil Gersman the finance board chair, phoned me. With compassion in his voice and much explanation for his actions, he provided our sorority with another option to fund the program. Thus, Delta Sigma Theta's seventh Annual Comedy Show will happen on Feb. 26. Maybe there is hope for student organizations' futures in the student government funding process. We'll just wait and see. | |