University of Virginia Library

Council Plans Random Poll
On Student Activities Fund

By SAM BARNES

Student Council will
examine University opinion on
the controversial use of the
Student Activities Fund (SAF)
in a random mailing to 923
students.

The questionnaire, designed
to aid future Council
allocations decisions, contains
questions on the student's
general attitude toward the
University, his participation in
student organizations, his
feelings about the compulsory
Student Activities Fund, and his
ideas on which organizations
should receive priority in
funding.

How Fund Should Be Used

"What we're trying to find
out is how students think the
Student Activities Fund should
be used and whether they even
think it should be in
existence," Council Vice
President Larry Sabato said.
"There has never been a poll
seeking out student opinion on
the funding process."

The poll, prepared by Asst.
Sociology Prof. Charles
Longino and Mr. Sabato, will
reach seven per cent of the
student body. Selection of
students was made at random
by computer.

Computer Analysis

Final analysis of the
questionnaire will also be done
largely by computer, including
a cross-tabulation of answers to
insure accurate interpretation.

At least a preliminary
analysis should be ready by
March 1 in time for spring
funding hearings, Mr. Sabato
said.

Some more specific
questions include whether the
Gay Student Union should
receive funds, whether Cavalier
Daily staff members should
receive salaries paid from the
SAF, and whether Student
Council and Student Activities
funds should be used to
sponsor membership in such
organizations as the National
Student Lobby and the
National Student Association.

"One of the most telling
portions of the questionnaire
asks the student which ten
organizations he thinks are
most deserving of funds and
which ten are the least
deserving," Mr. Sabato
explained.

"We also ask the student
what single organization he
would consider most worthy of
funding and which he would
consider the least worthy."

"These responses will
provide the most basic
information to guide us in the
spring allocations hearings," he
said.

'Efforts To Be Responsive'

Mr. Sabato called the poll
"an attempt to continue our
efforts to be responsive to
student opinion."

"We realize there are
problems in the allocation of
the Student Activities Fund
and we're trying to solve
them."

"This poll is one way to get
started toward adequate
solutions; we hope through
its analysis to get a handle on
student opinion, and to change
accordingly."

Mr. Sabato stressed the
necessity of a good response on
the part of students in
answering and returning the
questionnaire.

"The seven per cent sample
should provide an excellent
indication of student opinion,
but we need the cooperation of
all those students chosen to
complete the questionnaire to
obtain a final analysis in which
we can place confidence," he
said.