Perks of the Job

Anthony is a freshman on student government. He notices that his supervisor, Julia, a senior member of student government, uses student government’s computers, printers, and office supplies to do all of her homework. Office resources and supplies are supposed to be used only for student government work. A large portion of the budget is dedicated to supplying the office, money that could be used on student programs, and the organization has been making a concerted effort to trim these costs. Julia still prints out large reading packets, despite other members voicing particular concerns about the amount of money the organization has to spend on ink. Anthony asked her about it once, and she said she gives so much of her time to the organization, she deserves a few minor perks in return.

Anthony is unsure what he should do. Julia does give a lot of time to the organization, especially compared to other positions, which require a lot less effort. She is also an excellent member of student government, and contributes a lot to the success of the organization. He doesn’t want to tell on her and ruin their relationship, but he still feels what she is doing is wrong.

What would you do? Does Julia deserve to use organizational materials because of the time she puts in? Should organizational resources be available for personal use? How does your student government address this issue?