There is a lot of cynicism about the Government of the Student Body on campus. As an organization that is expected to accomplish a lot without any real power beyond the effectiveness of its arguments, this might not be fair. But GSB candidates always promise to address student problems, and they always come up short.

One proposal this year is different. A never-ending source of angst for most students is the omnipresent crow population. Whether strolling past Lake LaVerne or walking down the completely white pathway from the Knoll to the Memorial Union, no one is truly safe.

GSB has a plan to help. By helping to organize and advertise a crow hunt outside the city limits, GSB would let students know that campus leaders are aware of the problem and doing what they can to address it. Although it isn’t clear how much of a long-term effect this hunt could have, bill sponsor Ben Albright isn’t asking much for funding either — just a touch over $300, which comes out to less than two cents per student.

That money won’t go to buying ammunition or renting guns either, for all those PETA members out there — it’s focused on publicity for an event that is going to happen anyway. Plus maybe a little bit for printing out some delicious crow recipes.

It is this kind of innovation and cost-effectiveness that we want to see from our student government. If it stops only one crow from relieving itself upon a poor unfortunate student, it will have been beneficial. And, regardless of the outcome, it reminds all of us that we are human beings, not just waste receptacles for this airborne menace.

Other members of GSB have suggested alternative means of dealing with the crows, and we think this is a good idea. Work on them. Nothing mentioned so far precludes this hunt, and we are not opposed to seeing more money spent on this problem.

We would be remiss if we did not mention the efforts made by university officials to alleviate the crow problem. From Scare-Eyed balloons to distress calls to 60,000-watt lasers, it seems they have tried everything. And while the crows remain as thick as ever, we commend them for their effort.

Now, though, students have a chance to take matters into their own hands. We encourage the GSB to pass this bill and to let Iowa State know that aerial defecation will not be tolerated.

Now if only GSB could do something about those Asian ladybird beetles.