I am happy to see that there are so many students passionately involved in the Pure Vida/Starbucks debate. At the same time, I am dismayed by the most vocal students: those who came to the GA at the last minute and tried to force us to side with them. The GA did have enough sense, because of one member's suggestion, to delay deciding for a few days. While I personally agree with the students who boisterously argued that Pura Vida should replace Auntie Anne's, I disagree with some of the members chiding the GA for choosing Starbucks. I also do not believe that AU needs another place that sells coffee.
To begin, the bulk of the resolution passed during the special session was not about favoring one coffee company over another, but about the fact that students do not want yet another coffee place. Instead, it urged the administration, despite the fact that it is busy selecting a coffee company, to seek instead some sort of restaurant. The Eagle, though, failed to accurately report this in its April 7 article about the resolution. While the majority of the debate during the meeting was over the two companies, the bottom line is the resolution that passed asked the administration to seek a food option - not a coffee house.
In Monday's Eagle, Zach Baxter criticized the GA for being misinformed. But I would ask him how members, in a climate that is intensely apathetic toward student government, are supposed to gauge the opinions of their constituents when they simply don't care? I also hope that Mr. Baxter just isn't spiteful of the outcome of the one GA debate and decision to which he actually paid attention this year. It is sad that many people don't care enough about what happens in the student government until it directly affects them. The student government will always be committed to receiving student input and helping the student body in any way it can, as that is its job, but more student input would be beneficial and welcome.
The passage of this resolution and the surrounding media coverage presents an excellent opportunity for students to seek out their general assembly representative and tell him or her what they think. By doing so, it will not only help legitimize the assembly, but also the student government as a whole. Continued input from students will only benefit the students, because it forces GA members to be delegates and not trustees. The president-elect of the SC, Kyle Taylor, repeatedly stated on the campaign trail that he would often update the SG Web site, which is currently www.studentconfederation.org, so that students could have information on their student government at their fingertips. I urge every AU student to look up your elected officials on campus and write them an e-mail stating how you feel.
Nick Johnson is a Class of 2006 representative in the GA and a junior in the School of Public Affairs.
