Today the GPSS Senate rejected my recommendation to keep the STF at $40 in one of the closer votes of the year. I have a number of procedural quibbles with how this all went down, but that's my own fault for failing to take the lay of the land before I made my strategic decisions. I should have anticipated poor procedure.
What I did not anticipate is the rejection of one of my central projects. I consider the work I do with the S&A Fee Committee to be some of the most important work I do. It's part of changing the culture of student fees. The student government has been fighting against arbitrary and capricious fees since as long as I can remember, and I've been proud to take that fight to the source. But with this vote on STF students rejected the opportunity to sustain the project. The culture of student fees to to remain as a piggy bank for whomever asks loudest.
Committees must be judge with suspicion... they have certain motivies that are not always consistent with the desires and priorities of the larger group. Failure to recognize that, failure to hold those committees accountable, is what leads to poor policy making.
The worst part of it all... I wondering if I have been wasting the past three years with this SAF stuff? If it's true that people get the government they deserve, maybe I should have just let them all wallow in their own short sightedness.
Blogs are digital journals that cross the private/public boundaries in strange and interesting ways. A single moment in time, forever suspended for comment and critique. These are the times and trials of my life, whether political, legal, social, or moral. But as with anything written in a journal, take these comments for what they are: ramblings that would probably be better kept to myself.
Sean Kellogg
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Better I rant here than somewhere else
3 comments:
Still has to pass the ASUW...
Is that a joke Dave? Or are you actually going to lower yourself to these "petty politics"? ;-) I hope there is a better discussion in the Senate than I am anticipating.
I'm not sold either way as to approving this increase.... Sean, you make valid points as to reasons to examine this issue closely, but the question on my mind is still "Can my additional $3 benefit me (or other students) in some meaningful way?" You're right to say that the burden is on the STF Committee and I will do my best to get specific answers to that question.
I'm sure you haven't wasted your time. Everyone won't agree with you all the time, but your contributions to student government at UW have been quite important.
Moreover, your determination has inspired people to work harder, and take responsibilities more seriously. At least it did with me, and it has stuck with me.
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