UWindsor Lance
Issue 32, Volume 85
Feb. 27, 2013
Jon Liedtke

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Let’s all hope that the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance doesn’t purchase Ali Babba’s restaurant on University Avenue as the new student pub.

First of all, it’s off campus. Why should students and staff be forced off campus

Second, the fact that the UWSA board of directors considered approving up to $600,000 be used to purchase the restaurant is mind boggling.

The UWSA has a massive annual budget and, with every passing year, a new crop of executives come along to take control of the purse. Decisions should not be made at whim, and allocating S600,000 for a facility off campus seems entirely illogical; at least spend the money on campus.

The Lance reported recently that UWSA general manager Dale Coffin had reservations about the project and how quickly the board was moving: “I think someone has got to stand up and say, ‘How did we go from we’re going to look into this seven days ago, to we want $600,000?’”

The UWSA has a fair share of experience in spending students’ money. Having spent over $250,000 on the Coming Home Music Festival, after all revenue and expenses were accounted for, the event cost the UWSA— meaning they lost— $37,000.

Sure students had a great time, but were they directly consulted when the decision was made?

No. The same goes for this pub. If the UWSA are serious about replacing the former pub, then the decision should only come after consultations with the student body.

Many students are still upset and indeed angry that the UWSA sold off the pub space in the basement of the CAW Student Centre and rightfully so. It’s called the CAW Student Centre, and it was the students’ own pub.

While the pub itself had a long history of fiscal mismanagement, it doesn’t mean that students don’t deserve nor want a pub; it just means it needs to be managed differently.

So here is my plea to the UWSA: please don’t spend $600,000 off campus before looking into opportunities to spend that cash on campus. Also, could you maybe spend a bit less than $600,000?

Thanks,

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Jon Liedtke was the Features and Opinions Editor, Associate News Editor, Advertising Manager and Deficit Consultant at the UWindsor Lance.