As third term commences, it’s time for the frantic search for classes and housing for next year. But as you make these decisions that will greatly affect your upcoming year, be aware that others are making equally important decisions for you. Created to allow for community-geared discussion and decisions based on student representation, LUCC is regularly making decisions that should reflect the prevailing sentiment of the majority of the student body. But how effective is this arrangement?
How many students actually know the name of their LUCC representative, much less can say they have been contacted and asked about their opinions on the upcoming issues? In fact, how many students can say they know what the upcoming issues are?
Probably not many, and it’s not surprising when you consider that the newest posted minutes from LUCC meetings on their own web page date back to November of first term, and the “Next Meeting’s Agenda” link takes you to an agenda from January.
How can students be expected to input their opinions on a matter when the information isn’t readily available?
But even more alarming than the lack of communication between the representatives and their constituents is the possibility of the administration dictating issues that have previously been within the student domain.
Recently LUCC turned down a proposal that would have made Plantz Hall a non-smoking hall. Now Residence Life is taking actions of its own toward the establishment of anti-smoking policies for Plantz Hall, based on a belief that the students are not being accurately represented.
This situation leads us to some important questions. Does the current LUCC system accurately represent the majority of student opinions? If so, what right does Residence Life have to step in and try to change the policy established by this system?
And if LUCC is not currently an accurate gauge of the student population’s outlook, what steps must be taken to ensure that a more exact system of representation will be practiced?
The student community must create a loud enough voice that the administration cannot make these decisions for us, with the excuse that we aren’t being correctly represented.
By voicing your opinion, you are contributing to an accurate picture of the beliefs held by the student community.
Essentially, the question becomes whether our opinions are better represented by the students of LUCC or by the administration.