SA’s internal issues must stop distracting members from focusing on student body

At the end of last year, the Student Association spent nearly $4,000 on a formal, violating its own budget rules. That made me angry. Now, SA has been getting attention because of another mistake. In my four years at Syracuse University, this is the most discussion I’ve seen concerning SA. It’s not a good discussion, but it’s a necessary discussion.

Our students are doing some incredible things. She’s The First is currently in the middle of its awareness week. It works to sponsor girls’ education in the developing world. I want to hear about that, not about drama behind closed doors.

“Student Association strives to meet its core mission: to represent and be the defender of students.” That sentence is from SA’s website. If what’s happening now is a representation of the students of Syracuse University, then I’m embarrassed. I’m frustrated, because it’s not a representation of who we are.

First Year Players has its show this weekend. Did you know students put on an entire musical while also keeping up with other responsibilities? Relay for Life is this weekend. Did you know there are college students carrying a full course load who raise over $100,000 for cancer research?

Our campus and student body are full of incredible individuals who do incredible things. As the organization that represents our students, it is despicable that its entire image is currently of scandal and lack of transparency. Perhaps I have a problem with its formal last year because I have had to deal with the budget restrictions and the fact that student organizations cannot use money allocated by SA for food. I understand needing to foster community within an organization. Anyone who has held a leadership position on campus understands that. But SA is for all students of Syracuse University. The community they should be building is among us all.

When SA decided to pursue a day of service, I was frustrated. It’s a great idea, but why not instead support Habitat for Humanity or Orange Seeds in their Big Event? We are a university of 14,000 undergraduates with diverse interests and passions. SA should be focusing on supporting those interests and feeding those passions, not on this drama, which has gotten completely out of hand. SA would not exist without a student body to govern. Move on from what’s happened and refocus on what matters: the students you represent.

Maureen Finn
Television, Radio and Film Major, Class of 2013