Facing criticism for not advocating students’ concerns this semester, leaders of the Boston University Student Union insist they have spent their time wisely “researching” issues they plan to act on in the spring.
Campus Safety Committee chairman Leo Gameng said the Union gave its best effort, blaming the slow progress on the need for gather information before acting.
“We did all we could this semester,” the College of Arts and Sciences junior said. “It may seem as if nothing has gotten done, but we have done research into all the topics we want to explore.”
“[The Executive Board] could be doing a lot better,” said former Union cabinet member Kyle Getz, a School of Education senior. “The Union hasn’t done anything measurable or visible [this semester].”
Union Vice President John Grant acknowledged the semester’s slow progress, but said the Union lay groundwork for next semester.
“I would have liked to have made concrete and immediate accomplishments this semester, but . . . I believe we did a quality job this semester of ensuring we will see concrete accomplishments next semester,” the CAS junior said in an email.
Getz said one of the Union’s largest problems is lack of communication with students.
“[The Union] has only had one town hall [meeting],” Getz said. “They’re not bringing student groups together like they said they would. It still feels like not everybody can attend [General Assembly] meetings.
“When we have all 16,000 students behind us, we’re strong,” Getz continued. “Right now we look like a group of 40 people sitting in a room, and that doesn’t help us at all.”
Technology Committee chairman Jonathan Pasquale said he agrees that the Union needs to strive for greater communication with students.
“There needs to be more open forums with the student body,” the School of Management senior said. “This semester wasn’t as good as it could be. There are more ways we can connect with the students overall.”
These criticisms come after the E-Board vowed it had taken steps to increase the transparency of the Union.
“We’ve added transparency to the Union,” said Union President Adil Yunis, a CAS senior, at Wednesday’s General Assembly meeting, the last of the semester. “We’ve moved all committee meetings to the Back Court of the GSU, and town hall meetings are held at the GSU and open for every student to attend.”
The Union’s biggest accomplishment was involving itself in discussions with Brookline police and residents in an effort to represent students living there who were targeted by officers on weekend nights. Union leaders opened communication between BU students living in Brookline and permanent town residents to ease tensions that arose earlier in the semester because of residents complaining of disrespectful student behavior.
City Affairs Director Jesse Kramer said he wants to see the creation of a Brookline task force comprised of BU students, Brookline residents and Brookline Police Department representatives.
In smaller areas, the Academic Affairs Committee helped create a CAS-led advising group of students and administrators that will begin work next semester.
Gameng said the Campus Safety Committee has been successful in lobbying the state assembly for Bill 737 – a bill that, if passed, would mandate every state college in Massachusetts to have a campus rape advisory council.
Grant said one of the Union’s largest goals for next semester is to address the issue of sexual and medical amnesty, an expansion of sexual assault amnesty to include immunity for students who have medical emergencies while illegally under the influence of alcohol.
“The Union has a ton on its plate for next semester,” Grant said. “In my opinion, we should focus on what the students have told us to focus on. We have heard much about student health and are undertaking projects to address issues regarding sexual health, alcohol and sexual assault.”
Other goals include plans for collaborating between the Union and the Environmental Student Organization to look at the school’s green policies.
Academic Affairs Committee chairman Matt Seidel said for the Union to accomplish many of its goals, it will need to steer clear of bureaucracy.
“The worst thing that can happen to the Union is to get mired in petty politics,” the CAS sophomore said. “We’re not there to argue. We’re there to advocate.”
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