By: DDO

DDO
Sat, 14 Nov 2015 23:32:25 +0000

Sorry friend, but your post speaks for itself.

You are still on the outside and you have a position only at the grace of those that run USG, who you readily admit are from the Greek system, by a wide majority. The fact that you are using something like the dining plan policy in comparison with the much more serious issue of racism on campus that is at hand also shows just how out of touch you are with your constituency, and the history of USG. (Arguing to change the dining plan has basically been in the exact same holding pattern for the past four years solid, fyi. USG has accomplished nearly nothing of substance on the topic, either.)

An overthrow? Its interesting you’d use that language specifically, actually. But thats what independent students on campus are up against if they want to run for Pres and VP of USG isn’t it? Basically, war against the Greek system.

So, what does it say when there are 35,000 undergraduates on this campus and yet these powerful, influential positions fall into the hands of greeks year after year, who only compromise a tiny minority of that 35K? Yes, there are thousands of student orgs on campus, but only one has the access to power and carries the ability to negotiate for the entire student body. All the rest are essentially social groups. A small group of privileged students run the student government administration and that is a major cause of the dysfunction on this campus.

And, if you want to know why nothing ever gets done in Student Life that the USG regulars like, take a look at how many members of Student Life are former greeks and also former USG officers…

This level of naive lack of understanding of how the system actually works on campus is actually symptomatic of the issue with undergrads and the general apathy towards USG elections year after year. If the student body really knew how much their day to day lives were being effected by a small, exclusive minority of their peers, then maybe they’d be more invested. And, with all due respect, THOSE are the students my comment is addressed towards, not current USG members. We need someone from the outside to run for office next year, and they need to start planning NOW.

I like what these protestors are trying to do, but rather than a mass sit in outside an administrative meeting, I’d prefer to have THOSE students have a representative on every administrative committee that matters. Its better for them to be on the OTHER side of that door making demands face to face, than waiting outside and letting a vastly white and privileged greek system be the voice of this campus for them.