Charity not eliminated

Though the recent Senate bylaw that restricts student groups from charging admission to events without explicitly budgeting for them may have good intentions, it also makes it more complicated for groups like LCS to raise charitable donations.

The Senate is correct in its view that Tufts' student activities fees should not be used for charity. This revenue is provided by all students to support the operation of student groups here, not to support causes external to the University. By charging admission to attend its annual semi-formal, LCS is implicitly donating a portion of the activities fee by not using the money raised to offset the cost of the event or to reduce their dependence on student funding.

LCS and other organizations that engage in charitable work believe that the new bylaw will make it much harder for them to find students willing to contribute toward their various causes. In a way, they are correct. Despite the good intentions of undergraduates here, voluntary contributions to a collection basket at the LCS semi-formal would most likely raise less money than the ticket revenue.

But there are ways to keep both the Senate and student groups happy, and yet still save some TCU funding for the myriad new groups seeking recognition. For example, LCS could choose to briefly interrupt its dance in order to explain the need for student donations. At the very least, it would prove more effective than a sign and a collection can.

An even better solution would be for LCS not to charge for tickets to the semi-formal. Instead, they could explain at the ticketing locations that the organizers would appreciate a standard donation when students receive their tickets. With some persuasive tablers, most students should be willing to fork over the cash.

The Senate bylaw is necessary to ensure that student funds support only student-related activities. But donations should not suffer because of it. With a little creativity, LCS, Hillel, and other charitable groups will have no trouble finding ways to continue raising money for local causes.