Like many organizations and departments on campus, the Union is trying to stretch its budget. Because 30 percent of the building’s annual funding comes from a combination of tuition and state Legislature appropriations, the budget cuts that have affected other departments and organizations on campus have also put the Union in a bind.

Unfortunately, Union administrators are now trying to solve their problems by taking ineffective steps that would undermine the building’s basic mission. Currently, the Union is negotiating with Kaplan, Inc. to give the company space for a test preparation center next fall. The new center would be situated either in the billiard room (where administrators would remove three tables) or in the spot currently occupied by the Olympic Coordination Office.

This clashes with the Union’s original purpose. When they constructed the building in the late 1950s, Administrators envisioned the Union as a place for students; they intended to provide space where student leadership, services and clubs could gather. The scarcity of space, however, has made fulfilling this mission difficult. The Lesbian Gay Student Union Center, for instance, waited for nearly a year to find space in the building before finally getting an office last June, and even now many groups continue to wait for a spot.

With demand for space so high and supply so low, administrators risk leaving out worthy student groups in order to include less deserving companies.

Furthermore, the decision will do little to solve the Union’s financial problems. Next year the Union will operate on a $2.1 million budget. The $40,000 offered by Kaplan to rent the space is a drop in the bucket, comparatively.

Most importantly, giving businesses space in the Union risks setting a dangerous precedent. The art gallery, the lobby and student group offices could all come under fire as administrators seek more money. Combining commercialism with student services is a road best left untraveled.