Undergraduate Student Government senators voted Wednesday to override President Ryan Fournier’s veto of a $56,000 medical advice hot line. The Lantern believes USG’s rush to override President Fournier’s veto was an irresponsible approach to allocating USG funds.
Supporters of the hot line have expressed concern for students’ well-being and a purported need to provide an alternate source for reliable medical advice in the absence of the student health center, which is closed on weekends. We understand and agree student health concerns are important and USG should play an active role in addressing them. We feel, though, USG’s actions were hasty, irresponsible and could have been achieved by other, and potentially more effective, means.
In his guest column Wednesday, Sen. Nick Benson failed to address how students may access other sources of free, reliable medical information, choosing instead to allocate space to criticize the presidential veto as “an unprecedented move” and to place undue emphasis on the Senate’s past efforts to ensure financial responsibility and accountability.
President Fournier expressed frustration Wednesday about surveys sent out to assess potential student use of the hot line, rather than acquiring usage information directly from the insurance company itself, which will provide the hot line service. We believe this statement is indicative of an unwillingness on the part of some USG senators to adequately address legitimate concerns, even though those concerns may be in the minority.
The Lantern believes arguments for greater accountability run counter to arguments against basic checks and balances. We further believe more information about both the hot line service in question and close alternatives to such a service would have ensured far more confidence in accountability than grand-standing about past USG measures.
Maybe the hot line will work and maybe it will not. Only time can say. We object to what seems to be some forced attempt to make USG appear as if it does “something,” which we feel is a sentiment not held by the majority of students on campus. USG elections will be coming up and we feel this might be an attempt to gain student attention rather than look out for their well-being.
And gain attention it should. All members of the OSU undergraduate committee should make an increased effort to ensure their concerns are heard and answers from those responsible are required. Students face many issues on a daily basis with which we believe USG can be helpful, whether it be advocacy and information against discrimination, addressing curriculum and GEC issues and other issues, such as the university’s decision to close J.O. North.
Students have this voice that should be used and they should remember who will amplify that voice – and who will listen to it, when representatives run for election.
