What happens when one disliked campus organization goes after another?
It probably looks a lot like this, an article written by the top newswriters at the Daily Universe providing insight (read as "incriminating") the "service" organization, BYUSA: http://universe.byu.edu/node/6561
I am graduating in April, and after all my time here, I honestly can't say which organization I dislike more. It's a tough call. Let's go over the facts:
Ding! Ding!
Round 1
BYUSA is horribly unaccountable for their outstanding expenses. As the article points out, $260,000 goes toward this club(?) in just 4 months. If this is a so-called service organization, why are their perks perhaps equivalent to the pay most students get at their jobs? Jamba Juice runs, dinners at Tucanos, and donations to VH1 are just not acceptable for any "volunteers," no matter how fat and happy they need to look at Homecoming Spectacular.
As great as it is that the Daily U has decided to blow the whistle on this issue, I resent the fact that they seem to want everyone to know that it is them blowing it: "Look at us! We're doing REAL JOURNALISM." In the first paragraph, they reference an ongoing debate that they brought up themselves. It's not like this budgeting issue was a highly debated topic before the paper was even involved.
Round 2
Adam Ruri is totally off his rocker if he thinks that volunteering "deserves rewards." Ummmm... Why is it called volunteer work if the volunteers are SO deserving of our thanks and monies? That's just not the nature of service, if that is their goal. If that isn't enough, in his defense of his beloved organization, Ruri either pawns all blame off onto other people or is unapologetic about the extravagent expenses.
The Daily U--despite the occasional talented writer--is generally sloppy in their reporting, whether it is in gathering their facts or in effectively communicating them. In the case of this article, it is their obvious bias. I understand that one of the purposes of journalism is to act as a watchdog against such abuses as BYUSA's, but reporters also have an obligation to remain unbiased. I know it's hard to pretend to be unbiased, but they totally missed the "unbiased" mark on this.
Round 3
BYUSA needs to get its image right, and not just in regards to their spending. On one hand, they set themselves up as shining examples of leadership, and on the other, as the humblest of students asking for no thanks. But both of these mentalities contribute to their sense of elitism and grant them immunity to criticism. They are the "do no harm" organization. Ruri is wrong in saying that if anyone criticizes their organization, they must not be enlightened or service-oriented people; I get it. And I don't like it.
Does the Daily U really want to set themselves up as the antagonist of the BYUSA establishment? They DO know that nobody will be fired or anything, right?
Ding! Ding!
Unfortunately, this isn't just a boxing match that can announce a winner at the end because of the bureaucratic system both these organizations are up against. But the good news is that the current politics between these organizations will fizzle out (at least for this year), and hopefully sooner rather than later. In the meantime, the rest of us in the student body will watch on, roll our eyes, and hope someone will put up at a campaign booth to vote BYUSA out of existence.
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