Spring Break
ASCSU for Dummies: an analysis of the organization
Phil Elder
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: Opinion
The remainder of the bills are either in commendation of other organizations for actually accomplishing tangible goals or complete wastes of time and paper.
An example of the former is the endorsement, and subsequent commemoration, of the Associated Students of Colorado for resolving to lower textbook prices. ASCSU, eager to stand back and watch the ASC take care of it, endorsed their movement so they could claim partial credit therefore.
There are several examples of the latter. An amendment to rename October "Rocktober," a resolution to help some Lincoln Middle School students with book reports and a useless effort to increase voter turnout by adding T-shirt designs to the ballot are just proverbial poster children for the mountain of senatorial shortcomings represented in random bills.
The student body does owe some gratitude to its senate. Without ASCSU, we wouldn't have the Ramskeller or RamRide. When it comes to efficiently getting students drunk, ASCSU is clutch.
However, one can understand why Penley treats the organization as a joke. Either they have no binding power, financial or otherwise, or they choose to ignore what power they may possess, preferring instead to sit on their world-shaking hands, meddling with their internal laws or officially endorsing an action taken by an organization with some initiative.
The students of CSU need their voice to be heard and reacted to, not to be drafted into a meaningless bill and left to die in the archives of the ASCSU Web site.
Phil Elder is a senior political science major. His column appears Wednesdays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
An example of the former is the endorsement, and subsequent commemoration, of the Associated Students of Colorado for resolving to lower textbook prices. ASCSU, eager to stand back and watch the ASC take care of it, endorsed their movement so they could claim partial credit therefore.
There are several examples of the latter. An amendment to rename October "Rocktober," a resolution to help some Lincoln Middle School students with book reports and a useless effort to increase voter turnout by adding T-shirt designs to the ballot are just proverbial poster children for the mountain of senatorial shortcomings represented in random bills.
The student body does owe some gratitude to its senate. Without ASCSU, we wouldn't have the Ramskeller or RamRide. When it comes to efficiently getting students drunk, ASCSU is clutch.
However, one can understand why Penley treats the organization as a joke. Either they have no binding power, financial or otherwise, or they choose to ignore what power they may possess, preferring instead to sit on their world-shaking hands, meddling with their internal laws or officially endorsing an action taken by an organization with some initiative.
The students of CSU need their voice to be heard and reacted to, not to be drafted into a meaningless bill and left to die in the archives of the ASCSU Web site.
Phil Elder is a senior political science major. His column appears Wednesdays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.
Be the first to comment on this story