SG members contemplate CSA proposals

Boston University Student Government members debated policy proposals presented by Common Sense Action officials at the SG meeting Monday night.

CSA, a national organization comprised of colleges and universities across the United States, aims to promote generational equity in Congress by drafting policy proposals that will eventually be presented to Capitol Hill officials, said SG Director of City Affairs Cassandra Shavney.

“Obviously, the millennial voice is not being adequately represented,” Shavney, a College of Arts and Sciences junior, said. “…Years down the line when we’re 40, 50, 60 [years old], we’re going to be screwed. Unless we start now, we’re not going to have the U.S. government that will help us, that will be adequate in supporting us when we’re that age.”

On Wednesday, BU students voted on policies presented to SG senators at the CSA’s first ever Campus Congress. The proposals included plans to improve education systems in urban areas, reinstate a part of the Voting Rights Act, promote sustainable energy sources, raise the debt ceiling, reduce prison sentences for non-violent drug crimes and provide better mental health resources for communities. The proposals passed by SG will be taken to CSA’s national conference in January.

Abby Fletes, president of BU’s CSA chapter, said CSA officials strive to represent the student voice in Congress.

“Since we’re young, we don’t have millions of dollars to lobby in Congress to get our representatives to listen to us, which is the majority of how policies get passed,” Fletes, a CAS senior, said. “You need to have money. You need to have resources. You need to be in D.C. The idea behind CSA is that we have thousands of college students across the country that are all going to be behind this national agenda.”

SG officials noted many of the proposals reflected a liberal perspective. SG member Jason Balsamo, vice president of campus affairs for BU’s Interfraternity Council, said that although he agrees with the proposals, it is not SG’s role to endorse political issues.

“I don’t think that the Student Government should be involved in political viewpoints, because no matter how popular they are, they are political viewpoints,” Balsamo, a CAS and College of Communication senior, said. “… I don’t think that this body should take a particular stance or manifesto in one direction or the other.”

Fletes said she attributes the liberal slant of the policies to the lack of attendance by BU Republicans, to whom she reached out to provide their conservative perspective.

“We tried to contact the College Republicans many times,” Fletes said. “They refused to come to the campus meetings and they refused to come to congress and that’s their problem. We’re going to go on with these policies to D.C. and they’re going to be liberal.”

SG senators ultimately elected to table the initiative, with the intent to evaluate the individual opinions of their respective constituents.

Fletes said as senators, their votes should already be representative of their constituents, because they were elected to represent them.

“As senators, they should be speaking for the student population,” Fletes said. “The majority of BU students are apathetic. They don’t vote and they’re not politically involved. Us in this room are the only ones who care enough to be involved. If no one else is going to take the initiative … then we’re going to have to do that for them.”

SG also discussed the feedback from the Red, White and BU talent exposition held on Nov. 9.

SG Senate Chair Avi Levy, a CAS junior, said although the show had low attendance, it was still a success. He said he hopes to see it repeated in the coming semesters.

“This is the first time we had this kind of event,” Levy said. “Students weren’t really aware of what it was. There definitely was advertisement for it, but that can always be improved … If we really do a good job spreading the word, there shouldn’t be a reason for people not to come and watch the awesome student groups perform.”