Letters to the Editor

9/2/10 7:00pm

Online Comment of the Week

In response to "KTRU sale leaves campus clubs unsafe," Aug. 28:I see several pro-sale people talking lots about the business necessity of selling KTRU. However, as Jonathan and Kevin have repeatedly alluded to, the argument from the con-sale portion of the student body deals with business ETHICS. What is most economically sound and what is the right thing to do are often not the same thing. If I lived in Switzerland during the Holocaust, I could have made a lot of money banking for the Nazis. I doubt anyone would think that this is the right thing to do. (Of course, this case is not as extreme, but the same principle applies). Next, let's look at this from a more business perspective as well. First of all, this educational institution is NOT a business; claiming so would have some serious tax implications for Rice. To make an analogy, a business is to its shareholders as Rice SHOULD BE to its students and alumni. Our opinion should count, whether or not the executive needs you! The 9.5 million dollars coming in from

this sale could easily be foregone in opportunity cost of donations. If Rice decides to overly piss off its students and alumni, then who is going to donate to Rice? And if you think that our endowment and whatnot is large enough to sustain such drops in donation rates, then why in the hell do we need to sell KTRU in the first place? Just for the record, I am just a freshman. I do not listen to KTRU. I would not be depressed.

---

---

However, if that were to be the case, then I would want that choice to involve students and alumni, the people whom it affects most. To end, I would like to commend the authors of this article, which is extremely well written and informative. I am glad to see that someone is voicing the opinions of the student body.

Anonymous

---