Education should be the primary concern at an institution of
higher learning. I firmly believe that while 50 percent of our
education occurs in the classroom, it is the other half, received
outside the lecture halls, that forms who we become as people.
Diversity surrounds us as a means of enrichment, but our division
is stronger than our diversity and it hinders our education.
Independent groups rich in culture and tradition exist with the
potential for creating a stronger bond among all students.
Unfortunately, these groups are funded by student fees and
don’t benefit the majority of those who pay for them. While I
fervently support the existence of these groups, there should be
some greater accountability as to where their money goes. Monetary
allocations should be merit-based and given to those groups that
truly have the incorporation of diversity at heart.
In favoring community over division, I think student government
should restrict itself to issues pertaining to the university and
refrain from personalizing national and statewide issues that
polarize the student body. The protesting of propositions on campus
is inappropriate and causes an unnecessary rift between
students.
Before we can hope to fight prejudice in the world, we must
eliminate the discordant opinions that are so widely publicized on
campus. Student government should focus on the majority of
student’s views while making itself available to the concerns
of the underrepresented. By furnishing students with updates of
USAC decisions and proposals, USAC officers could be more
accessible to students and their demands.