In a move that will help ensure an important student service, the University recently agreed to pick up the tab for the Emergency Medical Response Group. This student organization deserves to be free from a political and convoluted Student Association allocation system, but other groups should realize that they are not entitled to consistent funding year after year.

After the allocation of fewer dollars to student organizations in the recent SA budget process compared to years past, some group leaders lamented a drop in funding and indicated that they deserved to receive as much money as they did previously. Any association that does not provide a direct and essential benefit to students, however, should not expect consistent funding.

Instead of complaining about low SA funding or rushing to apply for additional money from co-sponsorships, student groups should increase their reliance on fund-raising. GW should not be expected to subsidize all of an organization’s budget priorities, and it is only reasonable to expect members to raise enough cash to fully meet their needs.

While students can count on the fact that various organizations will be scrambling for every last penny of SA allocations, student groups cannot count on that money as a reliable source of income. If their programming is worthwhile, students will want to pitch in during fund raising efforts. It’s time for groups to roll up their sleeves and make up the funding gap on their own.