Opinion: Diverse voices necessary for successful student government
The University’s Student Government is a powerful body with the funds and resources necessary to make major changes for the campus. This means that a lot of the major decisions will have an impact, in some shape or form, on current and future students here.
That being said, it is imperative that the decisions made are influenced by a diverse range thoughts, backgrounds and life experiences. These things are inextricably linked to each and every student, and without minority student participation in elections or campus movements, this will never happen.
Last month, the Student Senate took up a resolution that called for the revocation of the executive order by President Donald Trump. The first time the resolution came up for a vote, it failed to pass and went back to committee. After a few revisions, and some pressure on senators from many of the students outraged by its initial failure, it finally passed.
This issue was a rare one, but I can imagine over the next four or eight years, there will be more opportunities for the Student Government to take up more politically divisive topics. Having only one type of mindset dominating the discussion in SG leads to narrow governance. This doesn’t do anyone any good.
While it is and will always be important for all types of students to be involved in Student Government and the matters that they deliberate on, now, more than ever, will that diversity of thought be necessary in this process.
What if the revocation resolution would have failed or been sent back to committee indefinitely, effectively killing the bill? We cannot risk this at a time when so many lives and families are on the line. We must do better. Our responsibility as citizens and has good stewards of a just and fair society requires us to do so.
So my call to all of the minority students of the University, is don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to step up and step out in forming your own movements or campaigns for changes on this campus. Your voice matters and is equally important as anyone else’s. I know it may seem intimidating, trust me, I know. But as the old saying goes: “If you don’t try, then you’ve already lost.”
Frederick Bell is a 19-year-old mass communication freshman from Greensburg, Louisiana.
This article was originally published on lsunow.com on March 21, 2017.
