There is an election going on for Student Union and we need you to vote.
The stakes are particularly high this year. Initially, there were three teams running: BuildBU, the Rhett Offensive and Rhettvolution. Two days ago, the Rhett Offensive decided to drop from the race and officially and “strongly” endorse BuildBU. What I’d like to tell you is why you should be voting and why you should vote for BuildBU.
Last year, my team ran on the slate Renew BU, promising to rebuild the damaged state the Student Union was in. We won in a landslide (2200-700-600) and hopes were high for the year. Though I usually reserve judgment, I think we’ve done a pretty good job. At the final meeting last year, there was something like 10 percent attendance. This year, we have routinely had over 80 percent.
We built from the ground up a bus texting service that has helped over 4,500 individual students find where the BUS is at any time (4-FIND-BU-BUS). We more than quadrupled our budget and we successfully fought for earlier 24/7 study periods in Mugar Memorial Library, a battle that has been unsuccessful for years. We talked face to face with over 2,000 students to get a statistical representation of what students care most about and threw the biggest event at BU in the past decade, the GSU Takeover. We also started an incoming class banner signing tradition…which Rhettvolution supporters defaced.
And now, just as we have managed to repair the relationships that the last administration destroyed in their temper tantrums, another group of kids have come around and decided that want to tear it all down. Their cries resemble that of an angsty teen. They claim they will stand up to “the administration” – all the while, their supporters vandalize our office and degrade fellow students’ hard work.
Last week at the Union debates, the Rhettvolution managed to anger and disrespect groups of the student body (calling Greeks “not real students,” for example). They are trying to take a page out of our campaign book but what they have added, frankly, scares me. They have added a hatred and vitriol with no real target.
The other day, others and myself witnessed members of Rhettvolution on the street with a Doberman. They were red-faced and screaming of revolution. I truly felt a sickness in my stomach. Is this the energy we want to promote on campus? Is there any other way to interpret the vandalism, Che Guevara symbolism and Dobermans than a campaign of violent intent? If so, they’re doing a poor job at conveying it.
I for one, think it’s unnecessary. While people on the street were giving uneasy looks to the infantile revolutionaries, our campaign said jokingly, “More love on campus!” We received smiles and thumbs-up that sent nice, cheesy vibrations into my heart.
After the debate ended and the revolutionaries left, there was a strange calm in the room. The Rhett Offensive and BuildBU supporters hung around and had an amicable discussion. It was lighthearted, constructive and completely refreshing to the antagonism the room had experienced only moments earlier. Then, someone mentioned the idea of merging the two slates.
The merger would be unprecedented and the thought rekindled in me an excitement for the future that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. The thought of what it would mean for the upcoming year excited me. It would be a level of connection in the student body like never before.
BuildBU is made up of Howard Male, Alex Staikos, Sophie Miller and Jen DePiero, who have all worked in the Union for the past year. Howard is the most hard-working, professional guy you will ever meet. He’s known for working more than three jobs (I’ve lost count) and last year, he was in the executive office until after midnight helping me on numerous occasions. This was long before we chose him to join the executive board. Alex is the most mature freshman I have ever met. If you didn’t know him, you’d think he was a junior. Sophie and Jen both led the task force that was responsible for the earlier 24/7-study period this year and are the nicest girls you will ever meet.
You have the chance to have these people spending their every waking moment thinking about how to improve your life on campus. Please, go to the student link as soon as you can and vote BuildBU for Student Union Executive Board. It only takes a few seconds and is the easiest thing you will ever do to get change on campus. I am graduating this year and there’s only one team I feel confident can carry the torch of progress: BuildBU.
-Daniel Ellis, senior at the College of Arts and Sciences and Student Union Executive Vice President
This is an account occasionally used by the Daily Free Press editors to post archived posts from previous iterations of the site or otherwise for special circumstance publications. See authorship info on the byline at the top of the page.
Dan,
It is a blatant lie to say that I dismissed frats as not real students. in fat it is you sir that dismissed them as inferior during your run last year. The truth is that The Rhettvolution campaign is the only slate in this race that included Greek Life as a part of our platform. We have a plan that actively includes Greek Life in how we see the BU Community Uniting. Once again you have spent time tearing my slate down in a way that is not productive in unifying the student body. Our slate has simply argued that the Union needs to be more engaged and to this you all have reacted with a harshness that seems counter to a group of people who claim they want to bring the students together. I am not sure what leads you to make such false claims or use such harsh rhetoric against our slate. our focus is student empowerment, why does that make you so angry?
~Demarius J. Walker
Well your continual reference to them as “frats” isn’t helping. Neither is the fact that you tacked on the greek platform a mere two days ago.
The greeks don’t support you because they know you’re pandering. Build BU has built strong connections with them throughout the year. This is why Rhett Offensive (this year’s greek slate) chose to drop out and strongly endorse Build BU.
DJ,
While I certainly believe that you want to include Greek life in the BU Community, I distinctly remember you calling the Greeks “not real students” in the debate. I remember this because Mandy Patrick, the Panhellenic Council’s Union rep, posted this Tweet during the debate: http://twitter.com/#!/Mandykay07/status/58696884440662016 and was incensed at the time by your comment. You two have since begun a dialogue from what I’ve seen, which is a great step forward. Your slate is full of passion and energy, which every student I’ve met is excited about. Just be careful what you say sometimes!
Demarius,
As a BU student, regardless of the fact that I am a Student Union senator, I need to be frank with you.
I’m a freshman with only one semester of student government under my belt. I will be continuing my position next year. I had no enthusiasm about student government until I got involved. The progress that Arthur and Dan have made and the goals they have worked on are great improvements that are necessary to the school. Being part of these changes have made me want to continue working on Student Union.
With that being said, I went to last week’s debate completely open minded, unbiased to see what the future of Student Union could look like. I knew where BuildBU stood, considering that I know Howard’s work ethic and principles, as well as working with Alex on the Outreach Committee. So I was particularly interested in hearing what the other two slates had to say. I have to admit, rhettvolution gets credit for wanting to unify the student body as well as unifying it with the Student Union, which is something Outreach has been striving to do. But that’s about as good as it got for me. You’re dismissal of people’s comments because you “already know who they’re voting for” is inexcusable. You lost my vote that night, as well as many others.
Let me go on the record and say there is NOTHING wrong with student empowerment. I think its fine, if you go about it in a certain manner. Protests and sit-ins (one you’ve practiced already and one you’ve mentioned) are not going to be effective. Not with this administration. And by claiming that the “entire establishment” is against you is not going to help you’re cause. Arthur and Dan have built a strong relationship with the administration that has effectively gotten things accomplished. I’m with Dan on this one, change needs to be made, but not in the way of a revolution. Empowerment can be made without extreme measures, which is what BuildBU is all about. They’re going to continue the progress of this year and only improve upon it, and why does that make you so angry?
Alyssa,
What makes me so angry is the suggestion that the many conversations I’ve had over the past months with different students and organizations (including fraternities and sororities) were somehow less important then talking to someone in the student union with a title. I believe leadership is action not position, so when members of the union elevate themselves above the rest of the student body it does stir my passions. I will admit that I responded poorly to a line of questioning that seemed designed to make me look bad and hinted of elitism from people who already actively opposed my campaign. If you view our platform and conduct during this campaign you will see that we have been very positive and have worked to build up the student body rather then tear it down with harsh rhetoric and mis-characterization of our opponents positions like we’ve seen done against us.
I am sorry that we lost your vote due to my poor performance at the debate. I hope to be able to work with you next year and if you wish to meet to talk in person this week, my email is djwalker@bu.edu
Dan,
We included Greek Life in our platform since the beginning of this campaign. Please stop lying we should be able to have at least an honest conversation about our positions
Amy,
I did not refer to Greeks as not real students, I actively including Greek Life in my platform and spent time talking to them before we formed our platform. The claim that fraternities and sororities have not been good and promoting themselves to the rest of BU is a claim made by members of fraternities and sororities themselves I was channeling their frustration on this point. I would never call members of Greek Life not real students and I believe that this charge is due to selective hearing on the part of people looking for a reason to vote against outsiders who have been successful and galvanizing student interest and threaten what they see as a right to decide who gets into their social club.
~Demarius J. Walker
DJ,
While I appreciate that you are now actively supporting Greek Life, I have to call you out on the fact that you have had conversations with fraternities and sororities over the past months. Being that I (and my close friend Alex) serve as the Greek Representation to Student Union, I find this very hard to believe. We had no contact with you in the past weeks, up until Thursday when I was berated at the debate, and Sunday, when I scheduled a meeting with your slate.
You posted a platform “supporting” Greek life without doing your research. You (and members of your proposed e-board) self-identified a lack of knowledge about Greek Life, what our goals are, and how we are run. So please, have an honest conversation about your position and admit that you did not get in contact with us until I took the initiative and contacted you.
On that note, you did refer to me as “not a real student” (see my twitter for explanation). I took offense to this comment, as did the rest of Greek life who elected me to my position and continues to support me as the Greek representation to Student Union. While Matt so kindly apologized for your actions and lack of knowledge at our meeting on Sunday, I have yet to hear an apology from you.
I was not an avid Build BU supporter until I saw the false and misguided claims you were making on representing Greek Life. Because of your actions, I fully support Build BU and encourage my fellow Greek members and BU students to do the same.
P.S. If you knew anything about Greek Life, you would stop referring to them as “frats” and begin to call them fraternities.
Hi Mandy,
Why are you asking for an apology?
I was at the debate myself and all I heard from you and Vinny was, “I’m the leader of this. I’m the president of that. What about me? Why didn’t you come talk to me?” The way you spoke to Rhettvolution was uncivilized and it was just plain whiny. Is it a bad thing that Rhettvolution wants to talk to other BU students? I’m not in a sorority and I could not care less about Greek Life. In fact, the majority of BU students AREN’T part of Greek Life. Why are your needs more important?
P.S. All of the sisters and brothers I know of BU Greek Life call fraternities “frats.”
Dan,
I appreciate what the Renew BU slate has done for the student union this past year and in fact did vote for you in last year’s election. But that success, in and of itself, is something that contradicts Build BU’s argument that more experience in the Student Union is the only way to make progress. Just as you were a new slate then, the Rhettvolution is a new slate now. Not only do the Rhettvolution’s goals include continuing your own progress, but they have also started making efforts to expand the uniting powers of the student union. The last thing they are trying to do is make enemies with the student union and claiming that their rhetoric is “violent” and deconstructive is fairly libelous. In addition to the false characterization of The Rhettvolution you have published here, you have also accused them of vandalism. I know for a fact that the SEC has not accused the Rhettvolution of any act of vandalism. This is a shameful way of trying to win votes.
-Rachel
P.S. I recently had to move some Build BU posters that were intentionally placed directly on top of those of The Rhettvolution in Warren Towers. I would advise you to be more careful about where you advertise next time.
My dear Unionites, Dan, DJ,
One of the biggest problems with Union is continuity, I have participated and witnessed 4 Union campaigns before this one, and everytime a slate promisses to continue the momentum and another promises to be revolutionary. Every time, no matter how much effort is placed into creating the history of student union, guideliness for the future, outlined tasks and procedures on how to get it done, NOTHING EXISTS in september with the new Union. Binders get lost, trained individuals quit and another round of previous year blaming happens. People before us did it, we did it and it was done to us and now its done to the current union board.
BU is a very non uniform student campus and body and thats wha makes it great, and a great challenge to organise. Interfacign with 2000 students is great, but covers barely over 10% of the population on campus.
Overall i am happy that the election is getting this much coverage and emotion.
Good luck to all,
Mikhail
P.S. I would vote for Howard Male
Dearest Unionites, Dan and DJ,
Like Mikhail, I too have seen my fair share of Union elections and it’s almost the same formula presented each time. Usually there is an up and coming slate will simply bash the slate with most experience. Accusations such as the more experienced slate is too “connected to the administration” or that “it won’t “fight for the rights of students” are all too common. Usually there is a Greek slate that jumps in at the last minute haha, but I’m glad to hear that the Greeks are united with Build BU.
BU is a huge school which requires student leaders who can understand and work the ‘system”. The days of protests and sit-ins will never work and should any slate take this approach they will quickly find themselves isolated and ineffective. This happend my senior year where certain leaders wanted to fight and I can tell you by avoiding the “war drums”, I and the teams I led in Union, made tremendous accomplishments for student life: lowering the cost of printing ( http://www.bu.edu/today/node/9993) and letting students bring drinks into the library (http://www.bu.edu/today/node/10612).
Like my fellow Union alumni Mikhail, I’m glad to see so much coverage and emotion about the election. (It’s all over my newsfeed!!) The fact of the matter is that you need tough, experienced student leaders in Union who can maintain and develop relationships with the administration, not noobs. It is for this reason that I have offered my endorsement to Howard and Build BU.
Good luck guys!!
-Anant Shukla
(former Union Senator)
Hi Daniel,
My favorite line of your article is definitely, “They [members of the Rhettvolution were red-faced and screaming of revolution.” While these campaign members were walking down Comm. Ave, I just so happened to be at the GSU the same moment where BuildBU supporters were screaming in MY face about how I needed vote for them if I wanted more seating at the GSU. Of course I’d like more seating at the GSU. But what I don’t need is something else’s saliva on my face and on my food. BuildBU supporters are aggressive, too.
Welcome to politics.