A member of Student Senate is upset with how the majority members have treated students. She says the members are only open to new ideas if they align with their own.
To the Editor,
As I sit down to write this letter, I feel not only frustrated, but in shock at the behavior of Student Senate last Wednesday evening. The resolution put forth at our general body meeting was done in a way that not only abused the power of the majority, but also completely blind-sided members of the body. When I first saw the resolution to open voting to all students, I was confused. This is an issue that is extremely important, yet I didn’t recall seeing it in the public Google Drive. I, and other students that sit on the body, were not made aware that we were voting on this issue Wednesday evening. As an elected representative of the student body, I felt I needed ample time to discuss this with my constituents. This is something the entire student body had a right to discuss before it was passed.
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When a motion was put forth to table this resolution, it was ignored. Tabling this resolution would have provided time to critically think about and question the matter at hand. When 11 members of the body were hesitant to pass this resolution because of lack of student input, they were ignored. Those who voiced dissent were not necessarily against the content of this resolution, but for the fact that student representatives did not seem to care about the opinions of their constituency. Hiding this from voting members and the media guaranteed that dissent would not be voiced, and that is not OK.
It is disheartening that the majority of a body, who was elected on breaking down the “elite” and “unfair” Senate procedures, has become so inclusive and power abusive themselves. The fact that this resolution was not available to Senate members or included in the Post preview — which would have given students the opportunity to come speak out — completely contradicts the idea of transparency, an idea that was essential to the ideals of this body.
Even if students had the opportunity to speak their minds about the resolution, I am not sure they would be taken seriously. I’m not sure they would even speak at all. This current senate has distanced itself from students and students do not feel comfortable discussing their true thoughts and feelings with this body. If there is one thing we have learned from Student Senate this year it is this: The members of the current Senate claim to be open to new ideas, but only if they align with their own. Refusal to table this resolution to enable student discussion illuminates their refusal to listen to student criticism and concern.
Hannah Clouser is an Ohio University student.
