As letters, memos and e-mails circulate around campus reacting to the recent College Republicans’ affirmative action bake sale, the Black Students’ Union has responded by organizing a dialogue on the topic of affirmative action, inviting all SA groups to attend. This dialogue is only one of many recent and upcoming dialogues about issues of university-wide concern. Dialogues provide an excellent opportunity for students to have their voice heard by the administration. Students and student groups who want to see their ideas taken into account when the university is considering the future of programs or changes to the university should take advantage of these dialogues. Instead of griping about the lack of influence an ordinary student has, take action and attend. Make your case where it will be heard.Administrators, too, should take full advantage of these events. If students feel they are being ignored or neglected, administrative decisions will be met with anger. Administrators who want to explain unpopular actions – tuition increases, to name one – should take their arguments straight to the students, rather than unilaterally announcing their decisions with little or no explanation of process or reasoning.The success or failure of these dialogues depends on voluntary participation. If students show that they are unwilling to participate in the process and bring a well-reasoned argument to the table, the administration will have no incentive to take the time to ask for input. Likewise, if administrators do not attend or show a willingness to take student opinions into account, students will find one more reason to gripe about an unresponsive administration that is insensitive to student needs. The recent and upcoming dialogues address issues of great interest to many students – it is the responsibility of all participants to make a genuine effort to achieve a productive conversation.
