2008 Woodie Awards
Campus campaigning: Ending apathy toward USG
By: John Waynick and Sundeep Mutgi
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: Forum
Cynicism, anger and confusion.
Unfortunately, these are just a few of the many feelings that come to people's minds when they hear the acronym "USG."
However, USG has the potential to truly be both a voice and advocate for the students at the University.
If elected, our first goal will be to capture the voice of the students in a "Student Bill of Rights." Several other universities have drafted such a Bill of Rights to include everything from protection against unreasonable tuition increases to a stronger voice in campus decision making.
Also, we would place a high importance on issues such as decreasing textbook costs through an innovative idea involving increased book-buying options.
We are also the only candidates who have talked about a continuity plan with issues such as instructor evaluations, making sure that all the hard work of this past year in USG does not go to waste next fall.
We want to work towards improving simple transportation issues, such as filling a few potholes that are big enough to get lost in.
And we are the only candidates who are currently working on and will continue to work toward improving organizational reimbursement procedures.
You have heard them say it before. "If elected, we will put USG back on the map, making it a powerful entity that effectively advocates your feelings to the administration."
But we understand that every year all the candidates say this, that every year they tell you that USG is broken and they are the ones who are going to fix it. And yet, every year there are articles in The BG News, just like the one that prompted this response, calling USG ineffective.
And so in order for USG to shake this stigma it is time for vision, it is time for plans, and most importantly, it is time for realistic goals that can be achieved and can show campus that USG really is there to look out for the students.
We have prided ourselves on realistic goals and it is not as though they are lofty or pipe dreams. In fact we already have the enthusiastic approval from our administrative advisers to draft a "Student Bill of Rights," we have been working diligently this year to improve current transportation issues for next year, as well as producing instructor evaluations for the students.
Unfortunately, these are just a few of the many feelings that come to people's minds when they hear the acronym "USG."
However, USG has the potential to truly be both a voice and advocate for the students at the University.
If elected, our first goal will be to capture the voice of the students in a "Student Bill of Rights." Several other universities have drafted such a Bill of Rights to include everything from protection against unreasonable tuition increases to a stronger voice in campus decision making.
Also, we would place a high importance on issues such as decreasing textbook costs through an innovative idea involving increased book-buying options.
We are also the only candidates who have talked about a continuity plan with issues such as instructor evaluations, making sure that all the hard work of this past year in USG does not go to waste next fall.
We want to work towards improving simple transportation issues, such as filling a few potholes that are big enough to get lost in.
And we are the only candidates who are currently working on and will continue to work toward improving organizational reimbursement procedures.
You have heard them say it before. "If elected, we will put USG back on the map, making it a powerful entity that effectively advocates your feelings to the administration."
But we understand that every year all the candidates say this, that every year they tell you that USG is broken and they are the ones who are going to fix it. And yet, every year there are articles in The BG News, just like the one that prompted this response, calling USG ineffective.
And so in order for USG to shake this stigma it is time for vision, it is time for plans, and most importantly, it is time for realistic goals that can be achieved and can show campus that USG really is there to look out for the students.
We have prided ourselves on realistic goals and it is not as though they are lofty or pipe dreams. In fact we already have the enthusiastic approval from our administrative advisers to draft a "Student Bill of Rights," we have been working diligently this year to improve current transportation issues for next year, as well as producing instructor evaluations for the students.
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