This semester, the administration did all but answer the Delegates’ Agenda concerns and requests. Presentation after presentation, members of Webster’s administration filed up in front of a crowd of students and let them down one after another.
The Journal believes the administration failed the students this Delegates’ Agenda and have fallen into the habit of telling the students, “we’re sorry you feel that way” instead of acting in students’ best interests.
When students asked for more security cameras around campus to help protect themselves and their property, the administration told them to act as human security cameras and keep an eye out for crime. When the students asked for more student budget employment to address the amount of students losing their on-campus jobs, the administration gave a list of non-answers about work study and offered a job fair. When students asked for access to faculty course evaluations, they were denied and offered syllabi access before signing up for a class (a small victory). The students asked for a stronger communication plan; the university suggested students sign up for Webster Alerts and proposed a newsletter.
It seems the only tangible accomplishment made by the Delegates’ was the addition of a timer at Marletto’s that will remind the staff to change out pizzas.
The Delegates’, who year after year step up their game, have brought up issues that challenge the administration, and their reply is to avoid the actual topic when it comes time to respond.
The administration has delivered on several of its promises to students. However, the ignoring of important issues like student budget jobs and safety on campus eclipse the good done by the entire program. If this continues, it is totally possible students will stop participating at all.
In a December 2012 issue of The Journal, a similar editorial, later used in a powerpoint by a Delegates’ Agenda recap stated, “Delegates’ Agenda produces more power points than results.”
That editorial was critical of Student Government Association’s (SGA) advocacy for students. This editorial would like to commend SGA and its Delegates’ for asking tough questions and developing a Delegates’ Board that checks up on the administration’s promise throughout the year.
The Journal encourages Webster’s administration to revisit this fall’s issues at the spring Delegates’ Agenda with not only updates, but actual answers to students’ concerns. The students deserve this, even if that answer is simply “no.”
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