Belles' student government on the ball
Jason McFarley
The Bottom Line
Note to the incoming Notre Dame student body president and vice president: When it comes to election procedures, the on-going discontent at Saint Mary's should, I trust, keep you from following their lead. But as for the true spirit of student government, Notre Dame could certainly learn a lesson from Saint Mary's.
I must give credit where credit is due. The Belles are on the ball. In implementing change and addressing key concerns, they leave Notre Dame student leaders in the dust. And the view from back here isn't encouraging.
Consider Saint Mary's stance on race relations. The women continue to move forward in their strategy to increase the diversity of their campus. Their latest advance comes in the form of a new Student Diversity Board. The board, approved last week by Saint Mary's Board of Governance, seeks to develop among Saint Mary's students a working knowledge and understanding of the cultures of their minority and international peers.
While the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at Notre Dame serves a similar purpose to the Notre Dame community, it differs from the Student Diversity Board in one principal manner — OMSA wasn't student-initiated.
Saint Mary's student activities director Georgeanna Rosenbush recently told The Observer, "I believe that the new [diversity] board established at this proposed level of student government will have an impact on the student and campus culture as a whole over time."
It will. Especially if it stays committed to its educational intent. Presently, plans are underway for publications to be put out by the board and students can expect such opportunities as dramatic productions and speaker series.
Score one, Belles.
But that's just one matter that Saint Mary's student government tackles.
Remember the panel than convened on their campus two weeks ago? It was comprised of lesbian alumnae who spoke frankly of their homosexuality with current Saint Mary's students. Those very same students subsequently wrote letters and offered insight to The Observer, on the whole expressing how stimulating open discussion can be.
Open discussion, huh? What a concept, not to mention something strikingly absent from the Notre Dame campus.
It bears repeating that University officials' "keep it in the closet" attitude toward sexual orientation may survive in the United States military as "don't ask, don't tell." But it undoubtedly has no place in an academic setting where communication should be at its least encumbered. It bears repeating that where adult leaders fail to cultivate such an environment, Notre Dame student leaders should thrive.
Doing so, of course, means fostering sincere dialogue about critical student interests: race and sex, but also other such overlooked matters like women's issues. As much as we like to say that diversity and tolerance are more than talk, we must concede that candid forums provide exceptional platforms on which to come to value each others' differences — or at least accept them.
Don't tell that to those who equate acceptance with endorsement, though. According to their line of thought, conversations about race, homosexuality and gender are dangerous signs of furthering some sort of radical agenda. But let's be clear here. Students can share in such discourse without promoting any activist social designs.
Actually getting students involved, I suppose, is another affair. Yet Saint Mary's student leaders seem to have little trouble prompting campus-wide participation.
I hate to bring up that nasty election again, but there's a moral to the story. Yes, the final balloting decision marked a lacking end to an otherwise intriguing contest. But look what it has done for Saint Mary's. An experienced leader has already stepped down from the Board of Governance as a direct result of of the questionable election procedures. Students are making daily appeals for either a revote or the resignation of the declared victors. And three Saint Mary's women have circulated a petition and collected student signatures.
Even if students' confidence in the BOG is a bit rattled at the moment, can we really say anything less about the leadership at Notre Dame? Can we honestly dispute Saint Marys' efforts when an impressive portion of its students remain earnestly involved in and informed of student government functions?
And think, mustn't Notre Dame student governors be much more willing to garner the input of the men and women they represent in order to accomplish the same feats as Saint Mary's?
The bottom line here: As the heads of Notre Dame student government, the newly-elected student body president/vice president would do well to at once find inclusive, engaging means to confront under-served issues while increasing total student involvement in campus politics.
Following Saint Marys' example is a fine place to begin.
Jason McFarley is a freshman in the First Year of Studies. His column appears every other Wednesday.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Wednesday, February 16, 2000
