The Students’ Association Congress must tread carefully when passing strongly worded resolutions, and we applaud Congress for striking down Wednesday’s proposed resolution.
The resolution expressed SA’s “deep concern over the financial decisions being made within the university,” including the costly iPhone plan, a 7-percent tuition increase and faculty and staff contract non-renewals as major issues.
Although the resolution would officially solidify concerns students inarguably expressed in both forums this week and in less formal venues as well, the timing and the message were inappropriate.
SA hosted administrators Phil Schubert, executive vice president; Dr.Dwayne VanRheenen, provost; and Dr. Jeff Arrington, associate dean of student life, at forums Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Members of the iPhone team and the Vision Leadership Team were also present at the first session.
For SA to pass such a resolution mere minutes after Schubert and VanRheenen left appears unnecessarily aggressive. And because an SA resolution has no enforcement or implementation power, a supported resolution is simply an official statement – which has greater chance of alienating
administrators who sacrificed about three total hours of their time to field pointed questions.
ACU is a private institution, which means the administration is not required by law to conduct its business openly for students to watch. The Optimist cannot file a Freedom of Information Act and expect results; students are not guaranteed the right to knowledge of this private university’s affairs. Neither SA nor any other influential organization should compromise the relatively open relationship students and administrators share.
Proponents of the resolution argue that such a resolution is exactly the purpose for which SA was created – to offer a platform for students’ voices and concerns when the individual student cannot speak for him or herself.
Their argument is commendable and correct – but their resolution is unnecessary.
SA spurred conversation and provided an excellent platform for students’ voices at the forums it hosted Tuesday and Wednesday night. About 100 students turned out Tuesday to ask administrators challenging, direct questions and to draw lines connecting many of the university’s financial decisions. The message from the audience was clear: students are concerned.
And a message sent from a cross-section of students during time they sacrificed sends a far stronger message than an official document laid on a desk.
Congress is doing its job – students expressed their concerns, and the administration is aware that students are informed and wary of the changes on campus.
Instead of passing a formal and contentious statement, Congress should continue to keep pressure on the administration with real student voices and perpetuate further dialogue. ACU needs accountability- not formality.
