The reward money generated in the past week for information leading to the arrests of individuals who reportedly assaulted black student security officer Deantrious Mitchell on Oct. 18 has now reached $3,200.

That’s quite a lot.

That’s enough for about two semesters’ worth of tuition, and some books if you’re not an engineer.

The donations have come from the Government of the Student Body, the Inter-Residence Hall Association, the Union Drive Association, an anonymous faculty member and an original $1,000 stipend from the university.

Jerry Stewart, associate director of the Department of Public Safety, said last week that offering rewards for information about the assailants has “proven successful on some occasions.”

Will this be one of those occasions? DPS and the Iowa State community certainly hope so, but you can only rely so much on hope, which begs the question: How much reward money is enough?

And how much money, if any, is enough to make someone, anyone, come forward with information about Mitchell’s assault?

It’s nice to see GSB, IRHA, UDA and others come forward with their support, their monetary support. But when coaxing criminals out of the closet, do more arrests result from $3,200 rewards than $1,000 rewards. Hard to say.

But what about this $3,200? Iowa State Department of Public Safety officials have yet to find the alleged assailants. In the short-term, then, it appears $3,200 is no better than $1,000.

What’s more, is the extra $2,200 helping to fight racism on campus or helping Mitchell pay for the injuries he suffered?

Not at all. It will go to the guy or gal who saw something, heard something or knows something by the grace of circumstance. Mitchell won’t see a penny, neither will the fight against racism.

Donating $2,200 to help find Mitchell’s assailants is a nice, knee-jerk idea. But really think about it for a second.

The $2,200 could probably be used for better, more constructive purposes. Bring in speakers, help fix up the Black Cultural Center. Help Mitchell with his hospital bills.

There are any number of things that a campus rocked by racism could do with such generous contributions from people and groups with hearts in the right place.

Catching the crooks is important, but $1,000 would probably have done the same job as $3,200.