In my third and final year here, I can honestly say, it’s about time. It’s been a while, if not as long as I can remember, since students have actually united together for any common purpose – other than your weekly fall semester football games, of course.
Initially, this may appear to be confusing. But what I refer to is a series of events that ended with the relatively recent incident for which over 60 students gathered in the SGA House of Representatives meeting on Oct. 30. The same meeting for which the impeachment suit against the Student Body President took place.
Don’t take this for another anti/pro-Brent political agenda. You won’t find it here; instead, what I refer to and anticipate is something much greater, something much more foundational and elaborate: Students finally have established a voice.
As much as we, the students, may come to differ in our position in these upcoming SGA elections, and even after the conclusion of the controversial ruling which decided that our president is “not guilty” of several charges, one thing is absolutely clear: Students have finally found a means of uniting with one another to support causes they find essential in improving our university’s culture.
Those who align themselves against our SGA President may have come to believe that the resolution and judiciary response, being not-guilty, was a loss and an injustice. Those on the opposing side who claim there were no grounds for impeachment, and that the suit should have not been brought forth initially, will likely claim the decision was a victory. I claim something different, an alternative, out of this peculiar situation: A victory for the students. Bold, perhaps, but allow me to elaborate.
When, in your one to four years here, do you remember such a vibrant community of students taking to both social and political discussion? When have students been so involved in what affects and relates to their university and their community? When, in your time here, do remember students not only bringing forth their voice, but turning what they believe into what they do? Turning their thoughts and feelings into action, but not simply action – coordinated and sophisticated action, thus leading to a process we can all admire and look forward to during our time here.
In the past few months, the TCU NAACP has created a petition. We have had two state senators as well as several local politicians speak to students. TCU has sponsored a student, Yannick Tona, from Rwanda, to bring awareness of global human rights and genocide. Lastly, members of House, on behalf of students, brought forth an impeachment suit “ordinary” students from all over campus followed closely.
Maybe I’m just optimistic. Maybe students are in fact too different from one another. Maybe the Greeks and the independents will never truly get along. Maybe people of different races will never truly harmonize with one another, while the wealthy and the lower class at TCU will never see eye-to-eye. Perhaps, those in our Student Government will never truly value the voice of the Student Body. Maybe those pesky faculty and staff are just too far removed to understand what it’s like to be a student in 2012.
But hey, maybe we’re wrong. Maybe, all along, all we needed was a rallying cry. A means, if not a medium, for connecting with another. We’re probably not so different after all. Aren’t we all frogs first?
Jonathan L. Davis is a senior political science and psychology double major from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
