Associated Students of Loyola Marymount University (ASLMU) is LMU’s student government. Tasked with representing the student body, those elected are awarded major power on campus. But despite this, many students on campus are unfamiliar with what exactly they do, and why they should care. ASLMU is typically associated with campus events, like the tree lighting, Fallapalooza, and Wellness Wednesday. Although these events provide students a much needed break from homework, what else is ASLMU doing to benefit the student body?
When evaluating an organization, one of the main things to look into is where the money is going. ASLMU has an annual budget of $750,000. Below is a pie chart of how ASLMU funding is distributed.
Note that the Student Activity Fee Allocation Board (SAFAB) receives 34% of ASLMU funding. This is where ASLMU helps students the most. They give money to support clubs and organizations on campus. However, ASLMU restricts sending money to clubs based on their opinion on who it benefits. A member from the club or organization requests money from SAFAB, then gets graded on a rubric, earning points based on who benefits from the funding. These points create a percentage that falls under one of four tiers, that will indicate how much money the club or organization receives.
The ASLMU budget comes mostly from student tuition under “activity fee”. This school year budget is $50,000 more than last school year, and $65,000 more than 2021-2022 school year. ASLMU should focus on students’ voices, and make sure students understand where their money is going, especially when ASLMU is charging more for tuition every year. This is a main reason why voting is so important. As students, we have no say in how ASLMU spends their money, or more accurately, our money.
According to the ASLMU website, “ASLMU, in keeping with the Jesuit and Marymount tradition, empowers the voice of the students and actively promotes a vibrant campus life. Driven by integrity, we devote ourselves to being persons for and with others.” If this is the mission, how come the student body is so uninvolved in elections?
As students, voting in the annual election is much more important than getting a $5 Wellness Wednesday voucher. It is the way to use your voice to elect the candidate most fit to lead and help fulfill the ultimate mission of ASLMU.
