By Erin Wyllie
Dear Jeff McCann,
Thank you for introducing yourself, . It’s the perfect time to let all the students know as you’re on your way out of office for the year. We need to clear some things up. You claim that students aren’t engaged, that we’re “apathetic”, and we “don’t give a fuck.” I think we need to find the source of this student pathology, so we can fix this, maybe during your next year in office as university relations officer.
I kindly request that for every finger you point at the “lazy students”, you turn around and question your board for what they have been doing to get students jazzed about student politics. It’s a two-way street to get students involved and, at the moment, it’s only going in one single direction: a dictating board that does not foster democracy.
This past school year I’ve been quite involved in program, faculty, and university-wide organizations. So, naturally, I’ve been incensed by the past year’s activities. Why have the recent elections garnered high voter turnout but a sore turnout of candidates? Why has the board — ‘16 student leaders’ — turned into 14 student leaders?
Let’s read between the lines here: students want to get involved, just not in our university politics. I’ve been to board meetings, to forum, and to your office. After all I’ve done to get involved I can say that it’s not a nice area to be occupying. No one wants to speak when there are snide smiles behind your back. Students don’t want to run for office because, when it comes down to the wire, your ethics change to finish a project. Participants don’t want to vote if you barely look up to count who is for and against.
Moreover, the article in The Peak illustrates my point. The finger is pointed solely at the students. Yes students do need to be proactive and want to get involved; however, if there is no progress for what they are doing, if the position they occupy has little to no meaning in the process, then what is the point? Why should a student give hours of their time to a process that does not encourage their participation? There are a select few individuals on campus who are so passionate about these issues that they are willing to forego time, and experience unpleasant environments if it means something might get done in the future. But you’re right, most students do not, and I can’t say I blame them.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Let’s make student politics an exciting and inclusive experience for all students.
Here are my recommendations for what should happen next year. If anyone feels the same, let’s work to hold our representatives accountable. Let’s engage. Let’s chat in the hallways, and let’s reignite the community in SFU.
First, forum should not be chaired by an SFSS board member — it’s an absolute conflict of interest. The chair sets the tone for the meeting and manipulates it to the board’s interests.
Second, forum should reclaim the power that it’s let slip away. I hear rumours of a time some years ago when SFU’s student politics were controlled by forum and the board had to answer to this currently spineless body.
Third, more consultation. Yes, this word’s been thrown around a lot, so let’s take notice. We want consultation. Why is the Build SFU think tank closed now? After the big push to get students to vote ‘yes’, we’re finished with that fish bowl of a room? I want consultation day and night. I think that each committee needs to be tasked to investigate the best way to consult students and how students’ interests align with the committee. Let’s broaden these spaces and allow for all students to participate.
Fourth, Craig Pavelich needs to be instated as IRO. I was at the board meeting when this was being discussed and the issue was shied away from and those with the loudest voices in the room became the only ones. The board’s main reason for not instating him is to adhere to policy. Where was this reasoning with the other policies the board violated last year? Craig was voted in by the student population. 1,002 students voted yes and 310 no for his acclamation. Democracy spoke, and the board quieted its voice.
Thank you for hearing my concerns and I will see you at the next board meeting. I look forward to discussing my concerns and those of the students in the future. Because, yeah, I am one of those students who does ‘take this shit too seriously’.
