Do you like the Daily?

Chances are if you’re an ag student right now, you probably don’t.

But what about the Sudanese Student Alliance? Or maybe the Cyclone Stampede Rodeo? Or how about the Men’s Glee Club?

Regardless of how you feel about each of these student organizations, you pay for them.

A portion of your $134.82 in student fees per semester goes to the organizations listed above, along with the Ballroom Dance Company, Habitat for Humanity, Men’s Rugby, ISU Theatre and Veishea, not to mention many others.

Now among all of the student organizations funded through the Government of the Student Body by student fees, you probably have a philosophical objection to at least one.

Maybe you think rugby promotes violence. Maybe you think productions put on ISU Theatre are too provocative. Heck, maybe you think people receiving help from Habitat for Humanity don’t deserve it.

And because of your objections to those groups, maybe you would rather they didn’t receive any of your money.

Well, if students at the University of Wisconsin have their way with the Supreme Court, you may get your wish.

Wisconsin students challenged the university’s student fee system, which is similar to ISU’s, because they didn’t want to pay for groups with which they had objections.

Their argument almost makes sense.

But not quite.

If a “check-off” system were applied to student fees, meaning that students could decide which organizations would get their money, the effect would be to quash groups that meet needs for some students, but not for all of them.

Students might decide not to fund the Brazilian-Portugese Association because, hey, if you’re not Brazilian or Portugese, what are you getting out of the groups? And if you’re not in the Academic Quiz Club, why should those who are get your money?

Apparently this line of reasoning makes sense to some people. But what if the logic were applied to the university as a whole?

Say, for instance, that you’re an animal science major. Maybe you want your money to fund only animal science programs and departments. Liberal Arts and Sciences shouldn’t get any of your money because you think animal science is the most important thing, and the world doesn’t need any more English teachers anyway.

Kind of destroys the concept of a university, doesn’t it?

Probably one of the things you were sold on when you first toured Iowa State as a prospective student was the breadth of majors and disciplines to choose from. If you got tired of mechanical engineering, you could switch to journalism without having to find a different university.

You could have it all right here.

The same applies to student organizations. Every different association should be available to students here, from every different perspective.

And you should pay for it. We all should.

The variety of viewpoints and opportunities offered to students in the form of organizations betters every student’s college experience. After all, we’re here to learn about life, not just about our specific majors.

Student organizations depend on fees for survival. We all should help them survive.

Regardless of whether you like the Daily.

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Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Sara Ziegler, Greg Jerrett, Kate Kompas and Carrie Tett.