An important question has been included in the WSA’s survey of the student body this spring: “Should the Student Activities Fee (which funds the SBC, Spring Fling, the Concert Committee, etc.) fund Argus student workers?” I am one of these student workers currently funded by the Student Activities Fee, and I wanted to explain why this funding is so important.

Currently, I am one of two people filling the role of Head Layout at The Argus. What this job consists of is coming in late on Mondays and Thursdays and supervising a small staff that is responsible for creating a newspaper from a collection of text and pictures. We regularly stay up until 3 or 4 a.m. on these nights, putting together a complete PDF copy of The Argus while the incredibly dedicated Editors-in-Chief work furiously to ensure that all of the articles are the best that they can be.

What makes funding for these positions important has nothing to do with me personally. If funding for this position were cut, it would not affect my income. For me this position has been one of three jobs this semester. If this funding were cut, I would have to pick up more hours at my other jobs. I would not have enough time to continue my role at The Argus. I would be frustrated that I am no longer able to help put together The Argus for the student body, but I would not suffer financially.

I cannot speak for anyone else who helps put in the 30+ man-hours a week that are required to compile this paper from the writing and photography of other students. But if these students are in a situation similar to mine, I have no idea how they would be able to spend as much time at The Argus as they do now without pay. I have no idea if and how The Argus in its current form would continue to exist. The campus would lose a massive platform that serves as an outlet for student expression, provides information to the student body, and provokes conversation across campus.

You should vote to continue to fund Argus student workers on this survey. Not because I am one of them, but because the student body will suffer if this work is not funded.

Neitzel serves as Head Layout for The Argus and is a member of the class of 2014.