EDITORIAL: Proposed 'PrintQ fund' will benefit students who need it
On Monday, SGA announced it would begin to look a fund which, according to SGA President Brittany Mouzourakis, would be available to students who apply for extra money for their PrintQ quota.
A fund would help ease the tension on those who are registered student organization presidents, graduate students or those enrolled in printing-heavy courses.
Currently, undergraduate students are allotted $10 worth of printing for each semester, whereas graduate students receive $15.
While those amounts might be sufficient for most students, it is clear that it isn’t enough for all. It is good to see SGA acknowledge that the new system needs perfecting. And it is this sort of initiative for which SGA is at its best.
As of Dec. 3, 7 percent of students used the entirety of their PrintQ allocation. Mouzourakis said that number rose to 12 percent by the end of the semester.
While there will always be an abuse of any system, it is crucial that CMU not punish those who really need help with printing costs. If only 12 percent of the student body exceeded their allocation in the Fall 2010 semester, then 88 percent of students didn’t, meaning this fund would not be another frivolous financial burden placed on students’ shoulders.
Mouzourakis said she expects the funds to come from the Office of Information Technology’s budget.
And because the funds are expected to come out of OIT’s budget, the $70,000 Jeff McDowell, associate director of university services and support at the CMU Help Desk, said the university saved last semester because of PrintQ will not be affected.
Saving money in a financially strapped economy is essential, but this is a step that ensures those who legitimately require extra money to print are not going to be left paperless just because they are more involved on campus than the average student.
Mouzourakis said students would have to show they have a substantial need for money to be added to their PrintQ allocation. The fact students would have to apply to receive extra printing funds is crucial to catch those attempting to skirt the system.
SGA should work hard and fast with the OIT to figure out the best way to implement the plan, and do its best to make sure those who need the extra help receive it.
