Earlier this week, UW-Eau Claire students were invited to purchase swimsuit calendars featuring eight of their fellow classmates modeling some rather skimpy attire.

Students In Free Enterprise decided to create the calendar and then offered to give the profits to Colleges Against Cancer. All money brought in by CAC would go directly to the American Cancer Society.

Later this week CAC said they don’t condone the project, after some people on campus, including the Women’s and Gender Equity Center, said the calendar objectifies women.

The calendar is in bad taste, but one has to admit it is a genius idea. What’s unfortunate is that SIFE couldn’t create a more positive item. The calendar title “Women of UWEC: The Real EC Swimsuit Calendar,” screams for the creators to have used women of all sizes and shapes posed in real settings. To highlight only traditionally beautiful women in submissive poses is tacky and unethical. One would hope we’d have come further than this.

Also, one has to consider the repercussions of a calendar like this. The models, who did commit to the project willingly, will likely be objectified for years, both when the calendars are ogled and while they sit in class.

There are countless ways to make money for organizations and causes. Objectifying fellow students isn’t the right way to do it.