The Minnesota Student Association passed a bylaw last week that will increase its budget transparency. The Minnesota Daily reported on Feb. 20 that the bylaw’s passage means MSA will take steps to make its budget more accessible to the public, including posting it online and having hard copies available in its office. MSA has also increased its fees request for next year, asking for around $14,400 more than last year, which in total adds up to about $186,000.

In a school as large as the University of Minnesota, student government and administrative transparency is not always easy to come by. MSA’s effort to make students and the University community aware and more involved in budget proceedings is commendable.

While it is somewhat surprising that major efforts to increase budget transparency have not been taken advantage of in the past, we hope that MSA’s new bylaw, which passed unanimously, will lead to greater undergraduate and graduate student input in the University’s student-run governing bodies. The more input and interest that is given to MSA and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the better those organizations can serve
students.

Though MSA collects only about $3 in fees from students per semester, we deserve to know where and how our dollars are being spent, regardless of the amount. Students should take advantage of MSA’s efforts to be more inclusive and open in its budget process and voice their opinions about where MSA plans to use its proposed increased funding for next year.