By now, I’m sure (or hoping) you’ve all heard of the Student Initiative, which, if passed, will increase the Associated Students’ lock-in fee by a flat $100. But what you probably haven’t seen littered all over campus is a breakdown of the intimidation tactics A.S. has used to ensure that its groups support the initiative.

There are several scenarios to consider. If the Student Initiative doesn’t pass, then it won’t matter which A.S. groups supported it. Nothing happens. If the initiative passes, all of the groups who signed on will get extra funding. But here’s the kicker: if any group decides not to support the initiative and it passes, A.S. has issued a statement that it will deny all requests for funding from that group for the next five years. Five years. That’s longer than any of us will be here, meaning that the future of our clubs will suffer the consequences for our refusal to support a ridiculous $100 fee increase.

This moratorium applies to all the A.S. groups, but it will hardly affect the ones who support the Student Initiative. After all, they’ll be rolling in extra dough. However, it is a crippling penalty for groups who don’t support the initiative. They’ll be stuck with their current budget for the next five years, with no way to petition the students for help.

I disapprove wholeheartedly of the dirty, underhanded methods that Jared Goldschen and the Associated Students are employing. Jared, if you read this, I challenge you to write a response to the Nexus defending your actions. If you don’t, it’ll show that you’re pretty much our own little Dick Cheney. Hope your party doesn’t like re-election, buddy. Also, I heartily recommend that everybody who knows Jared show him this article and make sure he’s aware that he just got served.

Nicholas Clark is a fifth-year electrical engineering major.