Editor’s note: The bill proposed and referenced here did not pass, with an 8–23–0 decision.

Recently, Student Government put forward a bill that would defund the Iowa State Daily, and I am of the opinion that this is the best thing Student Government has done in years.

The reasoning behind this from Student Government is that the Daily has been uncooperative and not transparent.

I would agree with that, but also say that the money is not being spent well; with the Daily stopping printing, this should bring their costs way down, but we have not seen that. We also cannot see where the money is going, as the Daily seems to prefer a more opaque standard with their finances.

Additionally, we have seen bias from the Daily, as well as a general distaste from the student population. These things are damning to the Daily, but what is interesting is that everything I’ve stated has also been true of Student Government.

Indeed, the rot and decay of establishment institutions such as the Iowa State Daily and Student Government are clearly on display, and it seems that reformation does not work, leaving behind the options of allowing the rot to spread or removing the source.

When these systems are so entrenched, it would seem that the answer is to set this system on fire and blow it up. I wish it did not come to this, but attempts to stop the corruption have proven to be ineffective. The question that comes afterward is what will replace the Iowa State Daily and Student Government?

The ideas themselves are good in concept: a newspaper that produces local information and a system that allows students to have input on issues. My solution would be to build something focused on maximizing student involvement and minimizing the possibility of corruption.

To replace the Daily, I believe a community website where any student can write would be optimal; the school would be able to simply hire a website administrator who can ensure the stories are put up in a timely manner. This would allow any student interested to write an article without having to endure the long process of submitting an opinion article, and would most likely be shared more. 

To fix the Student Government, I would massively expand the group, allowing clubs and communities to send representatives. For bills tallying over $500 in funding, if the new Senate voted to approve, it would be sent to the general student body for a vote wherein at least 50 percent of the student body would have to approve the spending since it comes out of our pockets. I would like to see how others would fix this Gordian knot.

Ryan Hurley is a senior in marketing.