SJS: a message of gratitude and hope
This is a letter to the editor from Wes Kirchner, Owen Haudenschild, Evan Mattson, Canaan Cooper, Alec Otte, Ignacio Sanchez Romero and Cullen McMahon, on behalf of the SJS Executive Council
Open Forum is a weekly occurrence at General Meetings of the Saint John’s Senate. This is an opportunity for any student to address the Senate. Often, this portion of the meeting is met with silence, no students to be heard from. That was not the case this week.
At this week’s General Session of the Saint John’s Senate, over 50 students attended Open Forum. This group of students gathered to raise their concerns about implicit bias within the Senate and called upon the Senate to step up, introspect, and reflect on our implicit bias. It was also heard loud and clear that as Senators, we must work to better represent the needs of students. Thank you to all the students who attended; we hear you, see you, and care deeply for you.
In this letter we, the Saint John’s Executive Council, remind all students that we are here to serve you. Without passionate students, many of whom are friends and classmates, there would be no reason for us to exist. We recommit to working tirelessly to meet the needs of our community. Over the last month, the Senate has taken a close look at our Constitution to identify paths forward in this challenging time. Senators were also charged with being more honest and vulnerable with one another to break down the walls that divide us. We will continue to do so in the coming weeks to determine what structural changes are needed and what we as Senators must do to make the Senate an environment that is safe and productive for all. Thank you for your continued patience and support during this period.
We hope to see many more students attend our meetings and speak during Open Forum. We also encourage you to fill out the Student Input form, which is accessible on the SJU Student Senate website. We recommit to allowing the Benedictine Practices to guide all we do as Senators. Respect for Persons, Hospitality, and Community Living are three that we work steadfastly to promote on campus. We invoke the following passage from the Rule of Saint Benedict: “No one is to pursue what is judged best for oneself, but instead, what is better for someone else.” R. B. 72
Thank you for your kind attention.