By Ashley Lofria
One of the most potent stigmas of CAUS is that it is overly radical and that there is a very specific breed of person (the extremist) who supports this group.
Both statements are possible but are definitely too simplistic to encompass the complete truth.
I did not consider myself radical before joining CAUS. As it turns out, I am radical.
You wouldn’t know it if you saw me in everyday life. When it comes to my political, economic or social reform views, I am not loud or flashy about vocalizing my opinion — this is just not my preference. I prefer to contribute in other ways that are perhaps not as loud but are a contribution that can have impact nonetheless.
This brings me to a major point: it is possible for you to support CAUS or join without being a radical extremist.
Radical is too often used as a way to degrade a person/group or describe individuals’ actions as uncouth. Perhaps it depends on your definition, but radical is someone who supports drastic political, economic and/or social reform. It is my belief that issues, such as education and tuition, need radical reform.
Is CAUS radical, in my opinion? Dare I say it . . . yes.
But this is not a bad thing. If “radical” means drastic reform of some sort, then it is also my opinion that CAUS did a good job in their efforts toward a tuition freeze.
The facts are simple:
CAUS members created a petition for a tuition freeze and acquired 1,700 signatures. At the time, I didn’t realize what group was asking for signatures, but what I knew for sure is I can’t afford to pay one more penny of tuition.
CAUS members not only presented these signatures to President Neil Kerwin but also reached out to the Board of Trustees numerous times in efforts to discuss concerns about tuition rates and student representation.
CAUS members were active participants at the coffee hours held by the board as well as actively holding information sessions about tuition themselves.
Who was there the day of the final meeting where tuition was to finalized and decided upon? You guessed it: members of CAUS.
I left out many other contributions members of CAUS have done and are continuing to do, but the point should be clear that members of CAUS were a major contributor to the lowest increase in tuition rates in AU history. That seems pretty radical (or if a different adjective is more comforting: drastic, major, essential, vital) to me.
I am not writing on behalf of CAUS, but as an independent member. All I can offer you is personal experience.
With that being said, it has been my personal experience that the members of CAUS, with whom I have attended meetings, care profoundly about the direction CAUS is moving in. Members seek to make sure that CAUS continues to be a group that is there for students and is a true place for the student voice to be not only heard but recognized as an important voice and one that should be addressed.
If you are like me, perhaps marching outside of Kerwin’s house is not your style, but there are still other ways that you can contribute. Maybe you are good at writing and could help draft up a student bill of rights. Perhaps you have an affinity for volunteering and could be a volunteer for the safe walk program, or, who knows, you just might have a really good original idea. Whatever the case may be, CAUS flourishes through the active participation of all AU students.
Ashley Lofria is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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