Everyone knows that textbooks are so expensive, it’s piracy. So Student Government decided to help defray the costs with a “book voucher program.” They thought they had a good plan, but it didn’t work out that way:

1. SG leaders spend $15,000 to buy 300 gift cards from Barnes & Noble, which runs the FAU bookstores. The money came from the Activity and Service Fee that each student pays as part of tuition – $10 per credit hour.

2. The 300 cards are divided among the four main campus groupings: Treasure Coast, Jupiter, Boca and Broward. Each campus appoints one SG leader to be in charge of distributing the gift cards to needy students.

3. On the Boca campus, Kirk Murray hands out fliers on the breezeway announcing a “Treasure Hunt.” Students receive a form that poses 10 questions about SG, ranging from “Name an upcoming Student Government event” to “What are the names of your campus governor and senate speaker?” The fliers direct students to the SG Web site, where they can “hunt” for the answers.

5. Murray wants to pick winners in a raffle, but so few students fill out the forms, there are enough gift cards for everyone.

6. Murray says SG officials contact each winner, but there are no records of who contacted who, and Murray doesn’t remember.

7. The winners are supposed to come to the SG office and pick up their gift cards, but Murray requires no signatures from the winners. Controversy ensues…