SGA: govern, don't grumble
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: Opinion
The Student Government Association spends more time bickering about how to govern their weekly meeting than they do governing the student body and focusing on real issues. It's no wonder students don't want to get involved. A student only has to attend one meeting to see the madness and make a valid conclusion.
Unfortunately, the integrity of the SGA has been shaped by the ever so common "mine is bigger than yours" mentality. The main point of student government is to govern, not to argue about how to govern.
Essentially, the due process at SGA meetings has taken up more time, collectively, than any discussion concerning any issue that isn't total nonsense.
It would be sufficient to say that the technical jargon thrown around at these meetings becomes so ridiculous, that most of the SGA members themselves, who are sometimes forced to sit through these meetings for upwards of three hours, would probably get a better idea of what happened the next day, when the story runs on the front page of this paper, decoded and organized.
Furthermore, the SGA constitution should not be used as a weapon to benefit certain individuals. When the members of any governing body find themselves debating issues within the constitution more than real issues, such as student funding and organizations, there is something obviously very wrong.
The student government has seemingly turned into something comparable to a big game show with too many contestants and not enough prizes. We first need to realize that there's no time for games, especially since our time as students is limited.
Perhaps there needs to be a major cut in the number of senators. Having 25 senators in a room, who all like the sound of their voices and think their problems are the world's problems, is never a good thing. Cut that number down, because 25 mouths opened all at once are just as effective as one mouth under duct tape.
Essentially, The WC would like to offer a bit of advice to newly elected President Darren Heard and his cabinet; don't let the SGA get tangled in a web of nonsense. Focus on the real issues - the needs of students, funding of student organizations, and, finally, holding to an honorable standard of governing that that doesn't leave your integrity in question.
Unfortunately, the integrity of the SGA has been shaped by the ever so common "mine is bigger than yours" mentality. The main point of student government is to govern, not to argue about how to govern.
Essentially, the due process at SGA meetings has taken up more time, collectively, than any discussion concerning any issue that isn't total nonsense.
It would be sufficient to say that the technical jargon thrown around at these meetings becomes so ridiculous, that most of the SGA members themselves, who are sometimes forced to sit through these meetings for upwards of three hours, would probably get a better idea of what happened the next day, when the story runs on the front page of this paper, decoded and organized.
Furthermore, the SGA constitution should not be used as a weapon to benefit certain individuals. When the members of any governing body find themselves debating issues within the constitution more than real issues, such as student funding and organizations, there is something obviously very wrong.
The student government has seemingly turned into something comparable to a big game show with too many contestants and not enough prizes. We first need to realize that there's no time for games, especially since our time as students is limited.
Perhaps there needs to be a major cut in the number of senators. Having 25 senators in a room, who all like the sound of their voices and think their problems are the world's problems, is never a good thing. Cut that number down, because 25 mouths opened all at once are just as effective as one mouth under duct tape.
Essentially, The WC would like to offer a bit of advice to newly elected President Darren Heard and his cabinet; don't let the SGA get tangled in a web of nonsense. Focus on the real issues - the needs of students, funding of student organizations, and, finally, holding to an honorable standard of governing that that doesn't leave your integrity in question.
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John Adams
posted 4/18/09 @ 4:55 AM CST
Pardon me if I'm a bit skeptical, but considering the Western Courier's track record vis-a-vis accuracy in reporting - among other numerous issues I'd suggest the editorial board not be so quick to play any kind of superiority in this particular issue. (Continued…)
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