Student body president clarifies ASPUS’s stance on Higher One

My Fellow Students,

 

I am glad to take this opportunity to communicate with you the true meaning behind our campaign to ensure that Higher One operates best for you. With the last Vanguard article [“ASPSU Calls Higher One Concerns Misinformed,” Vanguard, July 26th, 2006], regarding our stance on the PSU OneCard, the truth behind what we are doing was not communicated clearly, and it’s important to us that the students understand that we are working for them. Two years ago a campaign began against a corporation called Higher One. Many students rallied, myself included. Two years later we entered office ready to fix the problem, once and for all, since nothing had been resolved. We do not believe that fighting a corporation that is halfway through a contract is strategic. We do not believe in launching a dormant Higher One campaign that doesn’t create positive changes for students. That doesn’t make sense. We are first and foremost students working with Higher One to create the changes we want to see. Because of this new approach, Higher One is now listening to students. ASPSU is not taking a stance for or against the company, contrary to the article’s intended direction. In fact it is no longer about taking a stance, but creating action. We are working to create more access for students, and to translate the Higher One’s website into Spanish. We first want to ask the most important people what they want fixed. That’s the students. We are surveying hundreds of students before we continue anything. That’s what this is all about ?” doing what’s best for the student body. Fulfilling our promises to work for students will always be our priority, and that is why we are performing these actions.

 

Courtney Morse

ASPSU President