If we read this letter to the Arthur correctly, Trent's Office of Student Affairs (OSA) wants to size control of independent student pubs so they can consolidate them into one under OSA. The rub is that OSA officials say they'd lose money! The letter was written by a former member of Senate and past Trent Central Student Association President.

Dear Editors,

Many things that I have been hearing from afar about Trent have disturbed me, but most recently it has been the news of a referendum question to transfer the College Pubs Levy to the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) and consolidate pub operations to one pub.

While I disagree with the consolidation of the college pubs in principle, especially given that contrary to popular belief the pubs have been in the black for the last couple of years, what I find most distressing is that the OSA and the Pubs Advisory Committee are admitting from the outset that they do not believe that they will be able to make a profit in a liquor operation on a university campus (!). If the university is afraid that they will not be able to manage a centralized pub at a profit, then students shouldn't transfer control over the levies in this referendum to fund another administrative boondoggle.

If instead, confirming my own suspicions, the OSA believes that the centralized pub will be sustainable without the transfer, and plans to use massive surpluses to offset costs in other areas, then students shouldn't fund that either. For example, the College Pubs Levy funded pub renovations to Gzowski at Argyle in the 2003-2004 academic year, and just one year later Conference Services controls that space to its benefit. Gzowski students paid for those renovations through their levies and still don't have a pub to call their own. If people wants centralized pub, they can have it, but let them operate like other businesses without subsidies. Stop corporate welfare at Trent, say no to the transfer of the College Pubs Levy.

Marisa Barnhart '99