Today, the Student Government must move forward, and so must I as well as all the other undergraduate students at this institution. I love American University with all my heart. I delight in in the people, the academics, and the community. Over the course of the past few weeks I have had the honor to meet and converse with my peers in a way few others have ever had the pleasure to do. I have met with women who are concerned with their representation and their safety. I cheered on our lacrosse team as they pulled off a win against UC-Davis. And I listened to the position of one AU's most progressive organizations, Community Action and Social Justice Coalition. In essence, I have been able to witness what makes this school one of the greatest institutions in the world of academia.
Now it is time for us, the student body, to speak with one voice. Ashley Mushnick is an amazing individual. Over the course of this campaign, I have seen someone who truly desires to better, empower, and strengthen her fellow students. Though we disagree on some of the priorities your Student Government should have, and some of the methods your Student Government should use, our ideas unite us far more than they ever would divide us. The SG will have to address some of the most pressing issues in its history. The next Student Government is going to have to tackle with a Board of Trustees which is indifferent to a student's voice. The next administration will have to deal with an almost definite increase in the tuition that you and I pay out every semester. Lastly, the next SG is going to have to be the voice in determining who will be the next university president. These are not easy tasks.
I for one offer my support, my energy, my knowledge and my heart to Ashley and her administration. This is not the time for us to be muffled by our bickering. I accept and I understand that the average student does not have an interest in the SG, but that is no excuse for the SG not to take an interest in you. I have no doubt that Ashley will keep an open ear and open door to your concerns.
As a student at AU, you should want your student government to make your experience here better in a real and lasting way. Ms. Mushnick is well on her way to doing just that.
I thank Ms. Mushnick, Mr. Boisseau and the student body for allowing me to engage in the debate and the discussion on how to make this a better institution. I am going to focus on other areas to improve this school over the next year. It has been my honor and my privilege to serve as your Student Government secretary for the past year. I am happy with the work we have done and excited for the future.
Five and a half months prior to his assassination, President Kennedy delivered a speech, saying, "Let us not be blind to our differences- but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved." We have all come to American University for a variety of reasons. Some want to create the next Mona Lisa. Others want to work towards world peace. Still others simply want to create businesses and industries that will solve the world's ills. But despite any differences, these words of President Kennedy, spoken so appropriately to the graduates of the American University class of 1963, get to the heart of what I want the Student Government to accomplish. We have the ability to create a community that champions the cares of our colleagues, an entity that empowers every student's voice, and a university that understands our needs as students. We must work together and embrace our differences. We can do more together then we can ever do alone.
Joe Vidulich is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, and the outgoing Secretary of the Student Government. He ran as a candidate for SG president in this year's election.
