As tension has risen over professor Anthony Monteiro’s removal from the African American studies department, there have been cries for greater student access into administrative decisions at the university. Despite the presence of an active student government, the gap between student opinion and administrative action has been exposed in recent weeks.
With a new round of TSG elections to be held on Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9, candidates on both tickets should prioritize student involvement in administrative decisions.
In the wake of the off-campus attacks in late March, the current TSG administration held a town-hall style meeting between students and representatives from Campus Safety Services. The meeting fostered an hour of open discussion between the two groups that has been rare in recent years.
On March 10, in order to speak face-to-face with President Theobald and Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick O’Connor, members of activist group Students for Monteiro staged a sit-in in front of the president’s office. It should not be this difficult for students with grievances to gain the audience of top officials.
While TSG frequently invites lower-level administrators to speak at its weekly general meetings, the meeings should serve as a forum of discussion between students and the most important members of the administration.
TSG should also take better advantage of its non-voting representation at Board of Trustees meetings by speaking on behalf of students more frequently.
No matter who wins the upcoming elections, the next TSG office should be diligent in maintaining an open channel between the administration and students.
Be the first to comment