I cringed when I read Patrick Sullivan’s perspective today (“The Union’s failure to represent its students,” page 9, Nov. 29). How dare he criticize our fearless leader? Jon Marker has done a lot for Boston University students. Let me take a few moments to highlight Marker’s achievements over his past two terms.
According to Marker’s statement on the Union website (http://www. bu.edu/union/board/), last year Marker built a foundation by creating many relationships. It’s difficult to build a foundation. Constitution-writing and foundation-building take time. Why else do you think it took Marker all year to create the Student Union Constitution?
According to Marker’s statement in The Daily Free Press on Nov. 8 (“Union discusses committee progress,” page 3) this year Marker has had “meetings with the president, the provost and the assistant provost.” That’s a big achievement for Marker; in fact, according to Marker, “That’s pretty good for the Union. That’s straight up, pretty much, the most we’ve done in the last two and a half years.” It’s difficult to forge relationships. Relationship-forging takes time. Why else do you think it took Marker all semester to meet and to forge? In addition to forging relationships, Marker also “clarif[ied] what we’re trying to do” (“Union forges dean, president relations,” page 4, Nov. 29). It’s difficult to clarify. Clarifying takes time. Why else do you think it took Marker a year and a half to clarify?
Being Student Union President is difficult. There’s a lot of foundation-building, relationship-forging and clarifying that needs to be done. I can’t think of another candidate who is a better builder, forger and clarifier than John Marker. So Sullivan, before you criticize Marker again, remember all of his accomplishments. BACK OFF OF MARKER.
Skyler Brader CAS ’07