While perusing last week’s “Senate in Session,” I was taken aback by the lack of substantial conversations held. Actually, that is a bigger fabrication than the work FUSA says it does.
The Mirror made some healthy observations at Fairfield’s resident trucker hat association’s Senate meeting last week. But for all of their cowboy breakfasts and casual red Fridays, what exactly does FUSA do? As far as I can see, a whole lot of nothing.
They claim to be the representatives of the students, yet they only offer administration-regulated, out-of-touch events that are closer to daycare than college living.
FUSA can say it caters to a wide range of students, but I’ve seen some of their events. I’m pretty sure that the pep rally for the basketball team was attended by every FUSA drone and not too much else.
When I came to college, I figured the student government would actually harness the power of the student voice. It’s too bad that the only voice they hear is their own.
The Senate might as well just ban The Mirror from attending their meetings. They oppose the coverage of the newspaper even though they are supposed to be public figures on campus.
FUSA always preaches about the approachability of its senators. I would bet my nose that a majority of the students not only have never talked to their senator but probably have no idea who they are.
This is where I take offense to the whole student government concept at this school. If it’s going to be legitimate, how can Hutch Williams have run unopposed? I mean, Frank Fraioli almost had the stones until he injured his knee and used that as an excuse not to continue campaigning.
Seriously though, the students really do not care. Hutch is a name, and that works for them and me, as well. I would have voted for him if it mattered. He does a job that nobody else wants to do, and he does it with a smile on his face.
I’m not praising Hutch by any means, but he’s given this school so much spirit that it’s a lot easier to pick on the other guys first.
It’s low to rip Tim Rich for forgetting his position and being caught, but why not when FUSA wastes time discussing honey mustard in the Stag, teachers turning off their cell phones and student handbook surveys?
Nobody actually reads that handbook unless they think Public Safety violated their rights.
Just like their conversations in the Senate meeting, everything that FUSA does is the equivalent of marshmallow fluff. Last year was a prime example of their non-action: After calling an emergency Senate session, the senators then proceeded to debate the way they address each other and the guidelines for every type of voting you could think of. By the time they actually started talking about Spam Jam, the meeting was practically over.
How are the students going to respect FUSA if the administration doesn’t? It’s a valid question considering the overall disregard the administration has for their input. If the administration actually cared what FUSA had to say, they would listen to them instead of merely telling them what will be done.
There is a façade at Fairfield that FUSA is actually autonomous.
Think about it: FUSA’s crusade last year to return Spam Jam to the townhouses turned into a separate barbecue at the townhouses that about seven people showed up to. The administration won even though they couldn’t get their story straight on who ruined Spam Jam.
There has to be some kind of work being done in the FUSA office. If not, they certainly do waste a whole lot of time in there.
And I’m not even talking about the cheery FUSA minions who make those spirited posters. That’s the stag-positive attitude I’m looking for. Now, if we only had a football team.
People are entitled to do their own thing; that’s the beauty of college and no matter what miserable angle I take, these are still some of the best years going.
However, we should not accept an uptight, fearful group of non-leaders. In the present, FUSA has become so watered down in its lack of direction that it’s merely a resume booster.
Call it student democracy if you will, but this mock-ocracy that is called FUSA might be as disillusioned as its Senate.
Ask someone in FUSA what they do. They’ll tell you the world. Ask anyone else and their guess is as good as mine.
Maybe if FUSA stops whining about how much it does, they’ll actually accomplish something.
Regardless, personal initiative trumps all and as was seen last week at the townhouse barbecue bounce, FUSA is not needed for student-planned events.
It’s the students’ school before it is FUSA’s. I think it might be time to remind those Fairfield aristocrats of that.
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