What is sad is that the SG has become, in part, an avenue for the individual goals of self-interested, egotistical students. People, read the governing documents, they are readily available in MGC 262, I know, I've read them many times. You don't even have to do that, here is the preamble to the constitution:
"We, the Undergraduate Students of the American University, recognizing the need for a united and dedicated voice to advocate policy, produce programming, and provide services to the Student Body, do hereby establish this Constitution for the Student Government of American University. The Student Government shall consist of all undergraduate students who have paid their student activity fee. Members of the Student Government shall be entitled to vote in elections and on referenda. The Student Government shall serve as the primary representative of the American University undergraduate student body."
The AUSG is meant to represent the whole student body, not the goals of the few. Get over yourselves and start thinking about the university and its students. What is best for them, what do they want, not what you want or is best for you.
Some people ask me why I never ran for office while an undergrad. Why would I settle for being Parliamentarian of RHA and Vice Chair of the BOE for SG? The answer is that I never wanted to get caught up in the self-interest and self-promotion. It used to be only a few people in SG that rubbed me the wrong way, but it is becoming increasingly more and more people. I am peturbed to see an organization that I put a lot of work into, that I was dedicated to, that I believe can benefit the students immensily, turn into what it has become. Stop calling each other names and resorting to online comments to do so; if you want to do that, there's a sandbox by the Child Care Center, go hang out with the pre-schoolers there, because that is where you belong. Act like the adults you are and start representing the people you were elected to represent. I don't want to have to spend ther rest of my time in grad school hiding my head in shame every time someone brings something the SG is doing. Get your act together.
And if you think I'm a hypocrite for posting this here, find me on campus- trust me, it's not hard- and I will say it to your face.
If you want advice on how to make SG work, you can find me, too.
"We, the Undergraduate Students of the American University, recognizing the need for a united and dedicated voice to advocate policy, produce programming, and provide services to the Student Body, do hereby establish this Constitution for the Student Government of American University. The Student Government shall consist of all undergraduate students who have paid their student activity fee. Members of the Student Government shall be entitled to vote in elections and on referenda. The Student Government shall serve as the primary representative of the American University undergraduate student body."
The AUSG is meant to represent the whole student body, not the goals of the few. Get over yourselves and start thinking about the university and its students. What is best for them, what do they want, not what you want or is best for you.
Some people ask me why I never ran for office while an undergrad. Why would I settle for being Parliamentarian of RHA and Vice Chair of the BOE for SG? The answer is that I never wanted to get caught up in the self-interest and self-promotion. It used to be only a few people in SG that rubbed me the wrong way, but it is becoming increasingly more and more people. I am peturbed to see an organization that I put a lot of work into, that I was dedicated to, that I believe can benefit the students immensily, turn into what it has become. Stop calling each other names and resorting to online comments to do so; if you want to do that, there's a sandbox by the Child Care Center, go hang out with the pre-schoolers there, because that is where you belong. Act like the adults you are and start representing the people you were elected to represent. I don't want to have to spend ther rest of my time in grad school hiding my head in shame every time someone brings something the SG is doing. Get your act together.
And if you think I'm a hypocrite for posting this here, find me on campus- trust me, it's not hard- and I will say it to your face.
If you want advice on how to make SG work, you can find me, too.
I'm pretty sure you have said it to my face, Jared. And I count myself absolutely blessed for that opportunity.
ReplyDeleteNow, I agree with a lot of what you say here. I've stood up and said the same things and I've pounded on tables when people said far worse about the SG. Choose your metaphor - sickness, sandbox, bad Tarantino movie - it's clear that the AUSG has drifted from what it can be.
But I think it's important to remember, with the election-time fever sweating our foreheads, that all is not wrong with our "petty fiefdom." This round of executives has done a lot for the student body in amidst the chaos. This senate, for all its venom and gossip, has produced some good legislation. The election regulations are slowly but surely getting better.
For every person I see dragging us down, I see someone stepping up. I think we're in a period of dysfunction, sure, but I think we're also in a dynamic period. The Student Government is coming of age. We can fuck shit up good - and we can do good.
Call me guardedly optimistic. Call me stupid. I think we'll come through, and if we don't, it won't be because I didn't try. And in the end, no matter how much noise and bullshit we produce, what matters is what we get done underneath it all.