On April 16, I attended an open forum in the Memorial Union concerning the future of the M-Shop, thinking the forum was to discuss the debate on whether or not the M-Shop should be a non-smoking facility. What I found when I got there, though, angered me greatly.

The board of directors of the Memorial Union announced that they were reviewing the value of the M-Shop as pertaining to the students, commenting that the Shop annually “loses” somewhere between $40,000 to $60,000 a year. This money is made up by subsidy that is taken from the ISU students’ tuition. The question posed was whether or not the money “lost” is worth the value of the M-Shop to the student body.

I, personally, am blessed with the opportunity to perform with 14 other students every other Wednesday night as part of the comedy troupe “Grandma Mojo’s Moonshine Revival.” I can only assume that part of the money “lost” every year is spent to fund our group, considering that even though we do occasionally sell out the Shop, we only charge $1 at the door to make the show affordable to everyone. (And we only charge the dollar in order to pay the bartenders and technicians who work our show.)

I can also only assume that part of the money “lost” every year goes to help fund the M-Shop bring students such great shows as The Nadas, Cake and House of Large Sizes at a more-than-affordable price. (Often shows are under $5.)

Of course, let us not forget that the M-Shop is the LAST indoor place on campus that allows smoking, music while studying or chatting, and the occasional beer in the afternoon.

I submit that the board of directors not view the M-Shop as “losing” money, but purchasing culture, entertainment, education, relaxation and a family atmosphere to the 10,000 to 15,000 students who frequent it throughout the year. All of this is provided by the 25,000 students who “lose” $2 to $3 of their tuition money to subsidize the M-Shop’s annual loss. Gee, just think how utterly fantastic the M-Shop could be if the board only allowed the students to “lose” twice that much.

Jason Taylor

Senior

English