Students need representation

This week, River Campus students headed to the polls to elect members for their 2004 – 05 Students’ Association. In several weeks, members of the Eastman student body will be doing the same.The College of Arts and Sciences and Eastman are the two schools under the umbrella organization that is UR. Yet the majority of the services provided to Eastman students that are delegated by the university are influenced and legislated by the College’s SA.Many of the issues that the College’s SA candidates are campaigning on directly affect Eastman students. In the College’s SA constitution, Eastman students are considered associate members. They have all of the rights students of the College have, except for the right to vote. So in effect, Eastman students have no representation in a body that legislates for them. Eastman students are not allowed to vote in SA elections, nor do they have any representation in the form of a senator. Eastman’s constitution even sends its students to the All Campus Judicial Council – an organization that consists of River Campus students, but excludes Eastman students. Recently, the closest thing to collaboration between the two student governments was a social mixer.Eastman students are pushed to take part in life at the River Campus. In addition to being encouraged to fulfill humanities requirements at the River Campus, special events, concerts and sporting events are all activities that are publicized to Eastman students. How are we supposed to attend these events? Recently, Rochester Transit System held a meeting to discuss bus scheduling. No one from the Eastman SA attended this event, but members of the River Campus community did. And if they choose to pursue the busing situation, there is the possibility that the College’s SA could create legislation that affects how efficiently Eastman students are able to get to and from class without ever consulting them.And what if a bus schedule is made that does not effectively accommodate Eastman students? Well, then they can drive. Of course, upon arrival to campus, students must park in one of the university’s lots. Sophomore Matt Goldblatt and juniors Ilana Kaplan-Shain and Pete Nabozny all speak of some sort of parking reform in their campaigns for presidency. And though parking affects Eastman students, they are unable to elect anyone to represent their needs.Assume that transportation to the River Campus is not an issue – the buses run smoothly and parking is not a problem. Classes are finished and it’s time for lunch. Again, dining services are something constantly addressed by the SA. River Campus students and Eastman students are required to have the same dining plans even though their dining needs are different. If the College’s SA is able to make changes to the required dining plans, these changes will affect Eastman students. Eastman students do not pay the College’s student activity fee and that is why they are not part of its student government. Double-degree students are considered to be both River Campus and Eastman students. They must choose a home school for billing purposes. Often, the home school is Eastman because of convenience and price. When Eastman is a double-degree student’s home school, they must pay the Eastman activity fee. They are still considered undergraduates at the campus, but they are not allowed to participate in their student government.Anyone can examine the history of the United States and see that having a group of people legislate for another group of people without any sort of representation does not work. Why is Eastman being treated like a colony? Perhaps that analogy is a little extreme, but currently, Eastman students have no one representing their needs on the College’s SA. In an ideal world, Eastman students would be allowed to elect an Eastman senator to the college’s SA as well as vote in the College’s elections. At the moment, it is not an ideal world. Until then, I encourage Eastman students to write to their SA and the College’s SA until Eastman has better representation in the university. Legislation will be passed that affects Eastman students whether they say anything or not. It is up to you to make sure that your voice is heard and your needs are represented.Gorode can be reached at kgorode@campustimes.org.