As a non-traditional (old person) student at WSU, I work a full-time job and go to school full time. With my busy schedule I do not have the time to investigate the dealings of the administration, however the Sunflower has the ability to shine a light in an attempt to keep the current administration ethical, and to try and curb the shady behind the scenes deals the administration has been engaging in. Why do athletics get the lion’s share of our student fees? The last time I checked this is an academic institution with an athletics organization, and not an athletics institution with an academic organization. There is more to this school than just Engineering, Business, and Basketball. The Sunflower, and Mikrokosmos allow students to have applied learning opportunities in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, yet these academic pursuits are on the chopping block, where there always seems to be money for Engineering pet projects (Airbus/Innovation Campus), and athletics (our new place in the American Athletic Conference). As stated above there is more to WSU than engineering, business, and basketball. I wouldn’t know that a member of the board of Regents has a stake in the new apartments on campus if not for the Sunflower. (Heaven forbid that the Flats fail, even though it is overpriced for the area and students can just rent a house off campus for the same amount or less). The Sunflower is resisting to be the propaganda machine that Bardo and his cronies wish it to be. Instead of cutting funding to the Sunflower, wouldn’t the easier solution to be just stop engaging in shady business practices. I am happy that the Sunflower isn’t Wichita State run media, and is the voice of the students. As a student who attended under former president Beggs, and now Bardo I would have to say I miss the student-centered University that our great school once was under Beggs, and find myself ashamed by the business model Bardo is running the school by. I understand that due to budget issues in Kansas, that there are budget issues to be addressed at WSU, however budget shortfalls should not be placed on the backs of students with increased fees to support the current administrations “vision,” and those fees should never be pulled from anything that can support a student’s academic success and learning. Academics, not cashflow, should be the priority.

—Michael Bourbina