Word: council
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...Most council "representatives" are lovely people genuinely concerned about student welfare. For some reason, though, the council transforms their private virtues into public vice. Of late, even the most elementary tasks have been bungled. The repeated failures of the council voting system are well known, as is the quite miraculous resurrection of $40,000 of previously mismanaged funds. Critics love to recite these frequent and serious mishaps, but alone they are not sufficient reason for ending the council. The sins of predecessors should not be visited on current council members...
Unfortunately, even at its best the council is unnecessary. The bad old days of Burmese strawberries and California grapes are past thanks to Setonism, the reigning public philosophy of student government. However, this commendable shift to a focus on student services and campus issues may well have sowed the seeds of revolution by revealing the council's expendability. Since the election of Beth A. Stewart '00, the era of student-centered reforms has narrowed the purpose of the council, clearing the fog of high-faluting progressive rhetoric only to illuminate the ornery fact that the council fails at some...
What little support there is for the council attaches itself to two of its functions, distribution of student group funds and advocacy for student services. The first could easily be given to students themselves. Rather than releasing $20 of each termbill to the council, students could direct it to their favorite group. With a mandatory $20 contribution and a fund for new groups, most organizations would notice nary a difference...
...council's advocacy for student services has recently achieved several scouncilcesses, redcounciled phone rates and fly-by lunches not least among them. But their advocacy too could be replaced. There is near-unanimous support for universal keycard access, a student center, and the like--students interested in advocating for council issues do not need the dubious mandate afforded by council elections. A student services club open to everyone would do just as well as the council, if not better...
...best argument in favor of student government is that someone ought to represent student opinion on issues affecting the College to the administration, which has real governing power. The council performed this role admirably and courageously during last year's ROTC debate, ultimately passing a resolution urging the administration to facilitate students' participation in the corps. However, shortly after the resolution passed in council vote, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 met with the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Supporter's Alliance and quickly announced that despite the council's opinion, no changes in University policy would...