What’s Missing in the Debate about Grand Haverfest

This letter was submitted for publication on our site and is also posted on the Go! message boards.

Dear Fellow Fords:

At the close of last year, there was no doubt that Grand Haverfest was going to happen—the former treasurers saved $37,000 for this purpose. All the emails circulated so far have neglected this fact by citing a $20,000 figure. The idea of alternatives was only first proposed by this year’s administration.

The dilution of this surplus to almost half of its original value preceded the present debate about Grand Haverfest. The existence of this new discussion has drawn our attention away from a series of decisions that reduced our $37,000 fund. Do not let the debate distract us from the fact that there were alternatives to decreasing the surplus (such as reducing the monies allocated to other student clubs).

It is unfair that the current representatives have prioritized other expenses above Grand Haverfest. The cynicism that you are only now feeling is a direct result of SC reducing the fund nearly in half, a fact that no one is talking about. This needs to be the elephant in the room. We need to remember that Grand Haverfest was really going to be grand.

The only way to move forward is by restoring the Grand Haverfest fund to its rightful amount.
We recommend that SC undo their mistake of diluting the original fund by using this fall’s unspent surplus and making a relatively small reduction in the club activities budget for next semester.

Restoring the surplus has not been on the agenda–so far. We hope you will join us at the meeting tonight and make Grand Haverfest live up to our expectations.

Sincerely,

Taha Ahsin and Aaron Madow ‘14