While I respect Tom Danielson’s service to the Government of the Student Body and his opinion regarding the idea to purchase the former Varsity Theater, I still am not convinced by his logic. Danielson said in his opinion letter published Tuesday that, “The inherent purpose of the student activity fee is to subsidize student activities and services to make sure that students have ample resources and activities to enhance their experience at Iowa State.” He also said that giving money to student organizations is like investing in a failed business plan. I vehemently disagree with this.

When a student group makes a proposal to acquire funds from GSB, it is bound by what it asks for. There can be no additional costs or expenses needed to complete their proposal because they are only eligible for what they request. Since giving money to student groups is only done when a group can provide information that that group will use the money to advance their group, it cannot be said that its business plan is flawed because they are accomplishing what it sets out to do. There is no guarantee that students will attend a movie theater owned by GSB with all the other options in Ames but there is a guarantee that student groups who receive money from GSB will use it to complete a set goal — a goal that GSB pre-approves. That is the difference.

This now turns to the idea of buying the Varsity Theater. Danielson, I do not simply “hate” the idea of buying the Varsity Theater because of its “magnitude;” I am opposed to this idea because you are guaranteeing that student organizations will have less money available to them for at least five years, when the proposed lease runs out. You are guaranteeing that GSB will become the arbiters of a project that, in your own words, is designed to lose money. You are guaranteeing that the university will be liable for any and all problems that come with running a business. If indeed the students have voiced their opinion to you and to other GSB officials that the main problem on their minds, with faculty being let go and programs being cut, is to have a new place to watch movies, I call upon you to spend the money that would have gone to the purchase of the Varsity Theater for other things.

Instead of subsidizing an entire movie theater business, instead subsidize tickets for students to preexisting movie theaters in Ames. Help clear the way for ISU groups to rent theater space from businesses in Ames or even help to update the current facilities so that they can benefit the students even more. These options will cost less money and not have the possible pitfalls of owning an independent business. I did at one point serve as Chief Justice on GSB Supreme Court but I do not speak in this letter as a former officer, I speak as a student who is concerned for my school’s future.

I feel as though there is a reason that this project has been relegated to the back pages of the Daily during its discussion. The students that have reached out to me since my last opinion piece was published have been overwhelmingly opposed to this project.

Maybe being against the purchase of a business by the GSB, with guaranteed losses for the entirety of its life, is the educated opinion after all.