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Pat Edmunds V

More than a significant number
of students on this campus are not
represented by the Student
Government Association. Some
call it apathy, I call it neglect.

What this campus needs is a
forthright, creative leader who
shows by example how student
government may work.

We complain that Noilen House
doesn’t communicate its plans to
us, yet our own decisionrmaking
body barely raises a quorum, let
alone shows itself to be a for-
midable opponent of questionable
administrative decisions.

But questionable administrative
decisions are not at issue and will
not be at issue here.

What is at issue, what is im-
portant, is the son's public image
and What it will take to change it.
For an SGA that holds the interest
of no more than 10 per cent of the
student body should ask itself
serious questions about its past and

Rick DiBello

Is there anything we, as
students, can do to substantially
improve our college experience
through student government? This
is the question I had to answer
affirmatively before 1 made the
decision to run for SGA President.
In recent years SGA has been little
more 'than a sometimes farcical,
selfeperpetuating body. I firmly
believe that SGA can act as an
influential voice in the decisions
that affect us IF we can demon-
strate to the administration that
We care enough to assume a
responsible role in the decision-

’ making process.

A prerequisite for this kind of
concern is information, Much of
the frustration we are feeling
concerning the administration’s
decisions corresponds directly to
the dearth of information on the
issues prior to the finalized
d ision. We will keep the campus

candidates

SGA presidential elections will be held Tuesday in the Post Office,
from 8 am. until 4 pm. If none of the candidates receive 51% of the
number of votes cast, a run-off election will be held on Thursday.
Students will have a chance to hear from the candidates at an open
discussion to be held Sunday afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. in South
Lounge. Again on KDIC Monday night, at 8:30 pm. the candidates will
answer questions and discuss issues.

SGA. iprove

future worth to the college com-
munity.

To my mind, the SGA could be a
serious check on student life as
well as on the decisions made at
Park Street. My individual suc-
cesses this year, for example, have
been small, but nevertheless
tangibie, For years the Music
Department has needed a
humidifier for its instrument
storage room. It was installed this
year, Why? Because I asked Dean
Walker how it could be done and he
told me that all he needed was
some signatures. I got him those
signatures.

Last February talk began of
installing a dark room in the Craft
Workshops. I won’t take all the
credit for this one, but Tom
Latimer tells me rm in part
responsible. What did I do? As an
individual student, I wrote to the
Dean again asking him to find
room in his budget for this exp
penditure because I thought the
Craft Workshops were a good place
to relax.

During Student Advisor orien-
tation, before New Student Days, I
suggested that the caloric content
of Saga’s main dishes be posted at
each meal. Unfortunately this
request was never met. . .

Another suggestion that has not
been met by Nollen House head on
or taken up by the SGA is that the
college purchase a large bus for
regular recreational trips into Des
Moines and throughout the area.
One year ago this spring, Dean
Walker himself suggested the idea,

believe this to be an inherent
function of the SGA because to do
otherwise would negate whatever
effectiveness SGA might have.
Why? A student official's voice is
only powerful it hisrher con-
stituency is well enough informed
to be vocally supportive. Without a
strong constituency, that official is
impotent because the ad-
ministration is politically aware
enough to realize that they need not
be concerned.

This is not SGA’s only responr
sibility. SGA should also be con-
cerned with trying to find solutions
to those problems that are peculiar
to our student body and making
whatever changes are necessary.
Whether the problem be academic
or social, we must take the
responsibility for our education.
We can’t sit back and wait for the
administration or the faculty to do
it for us. We have to take the
initiative. One of the reasons
Grinnell is stagnating is that, over
the past few years, students have
lost that initiative. Studies have
shown that comprehensive change
on college campuses has come
from either the administration or
the students. At Grinnell, students
are uninvolved and consequently,
where important policies or
decisions are concerned, we‘re on
a one way street that leads from
Nollen House to the campus.

If SGA is to serve as the voice of
the students, it must first earn the
respect of its constituency. This

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image

which, 1 am led to believe, was one
of the professional recom-
mendations made to relieve
academic pressure here at
Grinnell.

Early last fall I understood that
if I could “get enough signatures“
the bus would be bought. A petition
was then circulated by Howard
Kayne but was withdrawn when he
met with many cynical remarks
about where the money for the bus
would be coming from. This would
be, as you remember, within a
week after the sculpture article
appeared in the soil; raising doubts
and continuing to make waves
about unaccountable ad-
ministrative spending both here
and across the street.

Then, however, Dean Walker,
would not help me draw up a new
petition, and last December I
learned that the great college bus
had turned into a college car,
maybe . . .

The exceptionally warm weather
has been good to the ad
ministration; we’re all having too
much fun sunning ourselves and
slogging through slush to feel
hemmed in. in all probability,
however, we will be icebound next
winter, unless, of course, we get a
bus.

Exemplary leadership, I believe,
can accomplish the inane on up to
the profound, you name it.

If elected I would like to see
more than my pet issues pushed
through the SGA, but do consult the
posters around campus for my
platform.

budgetary matters. Second, it
must operate in an efficient
manner to decrease the amount of
wasted time and effort. This is not
to say that the budget is unim»
portant. 0n the contrary. $50,000 is
quite a responsibility, but not
exclusive.

Given these somewhat idealistic
goals, whatmakes me qualified for
the job? Over the past two years
I‘ve been involved as much as
possible with established in-
stitutinns and power channels. I've
been an SA, a hall rep, and have
worked on numerous committees
and task forces including Coun-
seling (chairman), Career Ser-
vices, SGA Finance, Housing,
Judicial Review, Admissions and
others. I’ve also tried to learn as
much as possible by talking with
members of the administration
and faculty.

Space limitations have
prevented me from dealing with
many specifics, but if my goals are
attained, it will be possible for SGA

‘ to confront the real issues which
stem from our concern for the
achievement of academic, social
and emotional satisfaction. The
related issues will be changing so
the particulars of the moment will
go unstated. The real question now
is - who is best suited to (1) con-
front the issues With the ad
ministration as they arise, (2) be
the liaison between the Students
and the administration, and (3)
provide the leadership that will
revitalize SGA‘ and help to make
the. student. body . the. .poweni it
should he.

The Scarlet and Black February 27, 1916—1). :5

Responsibility
required

, Adi...
Ruth Montgomery

Responsibility, both on the part
of students and on the part of the
college administration, will be
essential in the future if the trend
toward increasing student
disenchantment and consequent
apathy is to be avoided. In asking
to be elected SGA president, 1 am
committing myself to insuring
such responsibility.

I am now one of Younkers’ hall
representatives. 1 am working on
the SGA finance committee and
am secretary of the Student
Publications and Radio Com~
mittee. The issues that I am
raising in this campaign are ime
portant to Grinnell College and I
am capable of and committed to
dealing with them.

The SGA budget of $78,600 is an
area in which student respon-
sibility is imperative. Are student
fees being spent in a manner that
reflects student priorities? Cer-
tainly the upcoming budget
hearings are a step in the right
direction, but more extensive
review is needed. A prime concern
voiced by many students is the
social atmosphere at. Grinneil.
Although social atmosphere is an
issue that is very difficult to deal
with concretely, it is important to
ask, does current budget allocation
serve to perpetuate this
dissatisfaction?

Through the offices of student
coordinator and social coordinator,
1 would implement a thorough
study using organized surveys,
open forums. and Joint Board
representation to gather student
opinion. Questions that need to be
asked include: What balance of
movies, large concerts, small
concerts, campus parties, and hall
activities is wanted; are the
campus media providing the
services that students want; and

‘ extends

what role should salaries play in
the budget. These issues should be
examined by the general student
community as well as by the sen
cabinet, the finance committee,
and Joint Board.

However, student responsibility
beyond the realm of
student activity fees. It is the
student’s responsibility to make
sure that administrative decisions
do not detract from the desired
academic and social environment
at Grinnell. It is here that ﬁle
college administration's respon-
sibility enters, The only way that
students can be responsible
members of the campus com-
munity is if they are informed.

The recent decisions concerning

the food service and off-campus
housing policy were made without
any student participation or even
awareness. Campus media
representatives and Food and
Facilities Subcommittee members
were told that no negotiations were
going on concerning the food
service, when in fact they were. It
is obvious that the administration
is not providing the necessary
information to studenB. They will
only have incentive to do that if
students are persistent in their
demands for a part in the decision
process. This means more than an
outcry once the decision is made.
As SGA president, I will supply the
necessary persistence; but it must
be backed by an active student
interest.
_ In order to encourage student
interest and participation I would
make. increased use of both the
8&8 and KDIC to disseminate
information to students and to
articulate student concerns to the
faculty and administration. 1
would have weekly meals in Quad
and Cowles PDRs to which ran-
domly selected students would be
invited to discuss campus con-
cerns. I would initiate a shift in
emphasis from the SGA cabinet
having the primary role in Joint
Board decisions to a situation in
which the hall representatives
have a much greater role in the
development of decisions as Well as
in their final approval.

Student input to the ad-
ministration is currently at a
minimum. My election will show
the administration that students
are very concerned and are
searching for a way to express
that concern.

Ben Tuka and the staff at Buns on Wheels wish to thank
the Grinnell College Community for the landslide sales
they had this past week. They can only hope to try to live
Up to the honor you have placed upon them. May the

following,
your fami y.

ear be fruitful and prosperous for you and

Ten We

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