To the Editor,
I saw something in The Post recently that left me feeling genuinely concerned for the graduate student body. The leadership of the Graduate Student Senate proposed and passed a resolution encouraging all of its constituents to waive their legal fees, which fund the Center for Student Legal Services. The reasoning behind this drastic and hostile resolution was that there was no GSS representative on the Center's Board of Directors. This action taken by the leadership in GSS is threatening the well-being of its entire constituency, the financial well-being of a well-known and well-loved non-profit that has made its purpose to educate, protect and serve Ohio University's students and threaten their legitimacy as leaders.
There is every reason to believe that the lack of GSS representation on the CSLS Board of Directors was a simple misunderstanding. Two out of the last three Board Chairs for the CSLS were graduate students. Regardless of the nature of this misunderstanding, it is inappropriate for GSS to instruct its constituency to boycott a program that many local, national and international graduate students need for a political statement.
Leaders sacrifice their pride to better serve their constituency, not the other way around. The Center for Student Legal Services provides legal advice and representation for landlord tenant issues, contract and lease reviews, dispute mediation, notary services, misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations and other common legal issues faced by students of Ohio University. It is extremely important for graduate students to know that this non-profit was founded to address their needs and protect their rights.
I would encourage GSS leadership to reach out to the managing attorney, Pat McGee, to address its concerns in a way that is not detrimental to the well being of its constituency and that promotes the continuation of this cornerstone of Ohio University student rights.
Shmuel Roth is a graduate student at Ohio University.
