Undergraduate Student Government President Ryan Fournier vetoed a bill Sunday that would establish a 24-hour medical advice hotline for students.

Those in support of and opposed to this legislation have been very explicit in their respective efforts following USG Sen. Pete Steele’s guest column on this page Friday, in which he expressed opposition to the bill and disgust at a lack of discussion leading up to the bill’s 21-15 passage in the USG Senate.

The Lantern opposes passage of the bill and supports Pres. Fournier’s veto – a veto that should not be overturned when the senate meets later today. There are multiple factors to this issue that merit discussion while coming to this decision.

We are not persuaded by the philosophy “USG usually spends our money without a large, public discussion, so this is not any different.” We believe this is a bad trend to continue and it should be put to rest. More involvement in USG affairs by all members of the undergraduate community is encouraged, as all are responsible for engaging in the discussion and making their voices and concerns heard.

Some have been critical of President Fournier’s decision to use his veto power to stop USG from spending these funds, in some cases implying that use of the veto is an extreme move and without legitimacy. We encourage members of the senate and the university community who believe this check on governmental power, at any level, is not necessary to stand up with their positions and pronounce their beliefs proudly. It is our sincere doubt that anyone feels so strongly about the issue to risk legitimacy and political capital for that idea.

But aside from the presentation of this medical hotline, the primary influence in our decision to oppose this legislation was our belief that there are better ways to achieve this legislation’s goals, even if the bill’s passage can adequately serve them at all.

The Lantern believes $36,000 is an irresponsible use of students’ money to fund a project of questionable returns, when issues such as long waiting times for mental health assistance remain. Before USG attempts to alleviate the problems students face because of a health services center open only on weekdays, USG should come up with a variety of alternative solutions to solving these problems – perhaps, for instance, direct funding for additional hours of operation at these facilities.

In addition, we reject the notion that students do not have reliable medical advice available when health facilities on campus are closed. Reliable and responsible medical organizations maintain Web sites for the very purpose of helping people obtain free consultation for the medical issues they face. Please consider the power of the Internet when deciding whether such expenditures are necessary.

The Lantern urges members of the USG Senate to vote against overturning Pres. Fournier’s veto, and in the event such concerns remain, continue open research and debate directed toward solving them.