Silber Ignores Student Concerns

Thank you, Chancellor Silber for once again ignoring the legitimate concerns of the student body. Your response to the Student Union’s Guest Policy proposal neatly classified all those who object to the Guest Policy into two categories. Category one are those students who really want to let strangers into the dorms, thus allowing them to rape, pillage and otherwise disturb the tranquility of campus. Category two encompasses exhibitionists and nymphomaniacs who must have sex in front of their roommates between the hours of 12:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. on weekends) and 8 a.m. Interestingly, I fall into neither of those categories, yet I still object to a policy that treats me as if I am a small child in need of constant supervision.

Let’s interject a bit of reason into our discussion of the Guest Policy and look at the actual concerns of a majority (and believe me, it is a majority) of the student body. First, the Guest Policy supposedly exists to protect students. However, it only seems to protect students from other college-aged individuals. While my younger sister was hassled repeatedly by security guards during her stay here, my aunt and uncle were admitted into my building without showing ID and unaccompanied because they claimed to know me. Personally, I don’t feel the least bit safe knowing that any middle-aged individual has a fair chance of getting into my building if they are a convincing enough liar.

Secondly, the restriction on the number of guests that can be admitted at one time actually prevents homework from being done in some instances. For example, a study group of more than three students cannot meet in a group member’s building to study in comfort. We pay a lot of money to live in on-campus housing; why must we find other places to do group projects?

Lastly, the Guest Policy does not in itself insure a good environment for doing homework. It can’t make my neighbors turn down their stereo. It didn’t keep the rat that caused me to lose valuable study time out of my room.

And, despite your Puritanical intentions, the Guest Policy can’t keep anyone from having sex. In fact, from the hours of 8 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., we’re free to have as much sex as we want, even right in front of our roommates while they

try to do their homework. However, thanks to something know as respect for others (which thankfully, most students here at BU possess plenty of) we tend to keep our clothes on in public.

So please Chancellor Silber, don’t dismiss the Union’s Guest Policy Proposal on the grounds that the student body is somehow lacking in common sense or consideration for others. I thought we were invited to attend Boston University because of our maturity and intelligence; however, the way the administration treats the students suggests that we’re expected to act like delinquents. In addition, a stubborn refusal to listen to the student body makes the administration look bad in the eyes of students and parents alike.

If logic doesn’t appeal to you, then let me appeal to what the administration seems to hold most dear, the endowment. If things don’t change, don’t come looking to me for an alumni donation in a few years. Furthermore, I encourage other students, alumni and parents to protest the administration’s stubborn indifference toward students by refusing to write those donation checks.