Members from both Student Activities and the Student Government have said that their current relationship is strained in light of multiple miscommunications and policy disagreements.
Recent disagreements between the SG and Student Activities include the failed Health Center referendum and recent problems with election polls on my.american.edu.
These disagreements bring light to a history of inconsistent communication and services on the part of Student Activities, Class of 2012 Senator Adam Daniel-Wayman said. The SG and Student Activities have a relationship in which everything the SG does must go through Student Activities.
In the last meeting of the Fifth Undergraduate Senate, a resolution sponsored by Daniel-Wayman entitled “A Resolution to Start a Conversation” was passed at their meeting on Sunday in an attempt to rebuild the relationship.
The resolution identifies miscommunication and a non-transparent policy as part of the problem between the SG and Student Activities.
“[The refusal of the Health Center referendum] is hardly the only case where the standards Student Activities imposes on the activities of the Student Government have been protean, mysterious and seemingly obstructionist,” Daniel-Wayman wrote in the text of his resolution.
Andrew Toczydlowski, the Student Activities coordinator of governance and leadership, also said the relationship between the SG and Student Activities is not where it should be.
“It’s a two way street. I will agree that there are things we can do on both of our ends to make sure we are communicating more effectively,” Toczydlowski said.
Toczydlowski said that it is possible to redeem the relationship between Student Activities and the SG. He recognizes that there is more Student Activities can do to help the SG.
“On our side of things I think we can work on being more proactive. Sometimes I feel Student Activities reacts to situations that happen within Student Government, so being more cognitive and proactive with the situation,” he said.
Both SG President Nate Bronstein and SG Speaker of the Undergraduate Senate Eric Reath plan on arranging regular meetings with Student Activities.
“Hopefully [we will] get on the same page concerning what the Student Government can and can’t do,” Reath said.
Toczydlowski said he is optimistic for the next steps from the resolution.
“I think that this will be a catalyst for change and we will be able to start the sixth session on a positive note,” he said.
amooney@theeagleonline.com
