Six Dollars For Ohio PIRG Fund

To the Editors:

Students at Oberlin have a long history of working for social change. For 28 years, Ohio PIRG has been a major part of this tradition of progressive action. From convincing Oberlin to divest from South Africa to protest apartheid to protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling to establishing the O-Pass which increases access to public transportation, Ohio PIRG has given students the resources and skills they need to make a difference in their community and in the world.
Even Ohio PIRG’s funding structure is progressive. Every two years, the Oberlin campus decides to fund us on campus. Because individual students are able to waive the small fee of six dollars per semester, PIRG is very democratic – when students disagree with its platform, they can simply decline to pay for it. However, because Ohio PIRG is unique from all other student organizations in this aspect, a reaffirmation drive is required to make sure that the student body wants to continue to support Ohio PIRG in this manner and keep it on campus.
Now, more than ever, Ohio needs advocates for the public interest. The Bush administration has consistently proven its alarming preference for Big Business over the public interest. Public health, civil rights, and the environment itself are all at risk. However, students have the ability to hold politicians on the state and national level accountable to the public. Now more then ever, we need students to have a strong voice. This is why Ohio PIRG will be asking the campus to approve an increase in funding from $6 to $8 per student per semester. This increase in funding will help Ohio PIRG devote more staff time to helping students make a difference and strengthen campus activism at Oberlin.
The reaffirmation drive will take place on Nov. 13 this year. Strengthen Oberlin’s tradition of progressive activism – support Ohio PIRG!

–Andrew McKenzie
Environmental Intern
Ohio PIRG