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ABOUT THE QUICK TAKE Every Friday, the Quick Take columnists will offer their views on an issue of significance to American University. Notable members of the campus community will also be invited to contribute to this new feature. Suggestions for topics and other ideas from readers are welcome and encouraged, so please submit comments to edpage@theeagleonline.com. |
A few weeks ago, numerous fliers began appearing across campus calling for A New AU. The Eagle has reported that this group is fighting for more democracy, accountability and transparency from university officials. In an op-ed published last week, members of A New AU – which organized by the Community Action and Social Justice Coalition – established three proposals for the university administration: the formation of a board to review school policies for social responsibility, the public availability of AU's financial records and the election of three voting student members on the board of trustees. What should AU student's think of the New AU Campaign? Are their grievances valid and do they warrant attention? Our Quick Take Columnists weigh in:
Sarah Palazzolo
Nick Field
Derek Siegel
True student activism
By Sarah Palazzolo
You’ve seen the flyers: a fist cut out angrily against a red and blue background, strong, compact, visually demanding change. Maybe you even have stopped to read the one-liners and wanted to know more. But then you probably turned away and continued your begrudging Monday morning trek to your 8:55.
At AU, we pride ourselves for our infallible political activism. Prospective students (myself included) assign considerable weight to community engagement as a factor when choosing to come here. I think I expected everyone to be involved in a lot of student groups, not just on paper but in reality – contributing actively to the community, launching major, wide-reaching campaigns, throwing huge, creative fundraisers and generally demonstrating a motivation and a commitment to activism.
I can’t hide my disappointment. For some reason I thought college would be a little golden bubble of opportunity in the middle of a dreary, apathetic real world that stifles idealism at every turn. It’s not. It’s starting to look even more like the real world as midterms and papers intensify and dark winter clouds roll in.
Cynicism abounds in conversations about, for example, the Occupy movement. “I just don’t think they’re doing anything,” students complain, “I wish they would at least have a message.”
Similar sentiments apply for the New AU Campaign right here on campus. People roll their eyes and scoff about protesting for no “real” reason – but wouldn’t you like to know where your tuition is really going? It’s a compelling question.
The disconnect here is that we say we’re all about student activism and participation, but in general it’s all talk. There are a few dedicated civil servants sitting out on the quad every now and then, but activism is overwhelmingly absent.
Maybe the disconnect is in the way we define activism. I talked to Ethan Miller, one of the student leaders of the New AU campaign, about the reality of the state of political activism at AU. Activism isn’t just dedicating yourself to that internship on the Hill or casting your vote every November; activism, Ethan agrees, is “being engaged in your community, which is right here on campus.” Part of the campaign is to educate students about the issues that affect us, and bring lots of different student voices to the table. Only then can we start to engage in our campus community and accept the responsibility of true political activism.
Sarah Palazzolo is a freshman in the CAS and a Quick Take columnist for The Eagle.
A new era of protest
By Nick Field
This “A New AU” campaign seems to have accomplished that first great and difficult task of starting a movement: getting attention. Who would have thought it would be as easy as taping up fliers? Those distinctive fliers, featuring a fist with a blue and red background, call for a new and more democratic AU administration.
Even more unique and important to their success, though, was the placement of those fliers. Just from my experience I’ve seen them on doors, above stairwells, even next to the big screen in Ward 2. The point is, these fliers were everywhere you don’t expect to see fliers. That’s what made them so noticeable. With minimal effort, this group had already broken through to the campus’ consciousness.
The next phase of this campaign was on display on the steps of Hurst Hall last week, when the New AU group led a rally to the President’s Office. After capturing everyone’s attention, the group hopes to now get their message of administration transparency and student representation across to the student body.
While the ultimate success of this group is yet to be determined, it’s clear that they’re tapping into widespread dissatisfaction with the university. This dissatisfaction could even be seen in the reaction to the WONK ads that have been plastered all over the Metro and that have even graced national TV. What better sign that the administration needs to be more open and responsive than the fact that the campaign that everyone and their grandmother seems to hate is not only continuing, but being launched onto a national stage?
Watching this campaign unfold one can’t help but think about that other, larger protest movement in this country hoping to convert attention into action; Occupy Wall Street and its regional affiliates. Even going back to Tahrir Square, it’s beginning to look like the dawning of a new era of political protests. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to say we’re witnessing the biggest social movements since the 1960s, and the protesters of today seem to have learned the right lessons from their predecessors.
This new style focuses less on disruption and more on advocacy, the objectives are smaller yet clearer, and those involved are seeking not attention but openness and justice. Who knows what will ultimately come of this, but if, in the end, it’s that at the very least this generation is pledging to stay involved in our future, then we’ll have accomplished something quite extraordinary.
Nick Field is a senior in SPA and a Quick Take columnist for The Eagle.
Is this really a "fight?"
By Derek Siegel
My major issue with the New AU Campaign: if they can’t get me to take them seriously, how do they expect to get the university to take them seriously?
Let me explain.
Until I picked up a copy of this week’s “Eagle,” I didn’t really know what A New AU was all about. And they bring up some valid points, especially about transparency and the responsiveness of the university—or the lack there of—to student concerns.
But before I read the “Eagle,” all I knew about the campaign is that they were unhappy about something—I didn’t really know what. I saw their posters hanging around campus nearly everywhere I turned, including my Residence Hall. There were posters on the bulletin boards, on the bathroom mirrors and on every single floor in the stairwell.
One morning as I went through the stairwell on my way to class, every single poster was torn, paper on the ground and bits sticking to the wall. I was pissed. I logged onto the Facebook group and posted a nasty message along the lines of, “I don’t care whether you agree with them or not, but don’t tear down the signs. It’s rude. You think you’re being cute, but you’re not.”
A couple people responded, including my RA who informed me that the posters weren’t just annoying—they were kind of illegal. You’ve got to have RHA or an individual RA’s approval to hang up posters, and A New AU hadn’t followed protocol.
I felt kind of dumb.
Then last week A New AU had a protest on the Quad, banging drums and shouting, “When workers and students are under attack, what do we do? Stand up and fight back!”
Excuse me? Sorry, I didn’t know we were under attack. I thought we signed a peace treaty with the university a while back. I guess the tyrants decided to attack anyway…
A New AU seems to be operating on two levels: one of genuine issues, the other based on a general, ambiguous dissatisfaction. And I don’t know what to make of it.
If A New AU’s goal is to affect change, I would caution them that they could be undermining themselves. In “The Eagle,” they affirm that they’re using the “most direct, effective means possible” to reach out to the university.
I don’t know about that. I just don’t think turning an attempt to improve communication between students and AU into a “fight” is all that effective. An overabundance of posters and chanting on the Quad hasn’t impressed me, and I doubt it will impress the university.
Derek Siegel is a freshman in SIS and a Quick Take columnist for The Eagle.
