To the Editor:
I would like to voice my opinion of the editorial in last week’s edition of The Mirror. The undignified insinuation that the Senate developed the parking pass concept with Public Safety to aid themselves as displayed in the cartoon “FUSA Senators Win FUSA Raffle” and editorial “Park Your Dignity Anywhere You Like” from the Feb. 2 issue of The Mirror does not parallel the work that the Senate has done in the past few years.
Public Safety responded to the complaints of the student body that were brought to our senators regarding parking restrictions on campus. They generously reacted by donating the “park anywhere” passes to be raffled off monthly to raise money for the Special Olympics, and Officer Rob Didato personally drew the winners at an open Senate meeting.
The Senate was asked to organize the raffle since we brought the students’ complaints to Public Safety. We are a strong group of students willing to volunteer our time for such a worthy cause as the Special Olympics.
I do not believe that the random luck of Ashley Toombs ’07 and Janet Reinhardt ’07 has “muddled what should have been a beneficial and benevolent program.” The $157 raised for this charity proves otherwise.
Posters around the campus center, the campus announcement, and The Mirror’s article “Senate Presents a Ticket-free Paradise to Two Students a Month” (1/26/06) clearly state that the contests are open to all sophomores, juniors and seniors.
I believe that all students, senators or non-senators, should be allowed to have the same opportunity to participate in a raffle that is the response to a student-wide complaint and is benefiting the Special Olympics charity 100 percent.
It disheartens me to see that the Senate’s projects, which benefit the student body, are overshadowed by implications of unethical behavior that “looks contrived.” While Toombs and Reinhardt are hard-working and dedicated senators who volunteer hours every week for the benefit of the students they represent, they are first and foremost students of the university who deserve the same opportunities and chances as all of our peers.
The dedication and work ethic to our school and the student body by this year’s Senate, especially by Toombs and Reinhardt, are reasons why I am proud to be the Chair of Senate.
Sincerely,
Jenn Cole ’06
Chair of FUSA Senate
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