Vote no to the new proposed amendments

The St. John’s Senate: a body designed to voice student concerns, champion progress and lead the student body with distinction has once again fallen into its same old ways.

Despite a half-spirited and an in fact half-witted attempt to rebrand and appeal to the student body in a new manner, the Senate continues to be a $100,000 burden of ego, poor decision-making, lackluster performance and folly on the backs of we honorable St. John’s students.

How is it that the best-funded student group continually fails to move the needle in improving the way we engage, relate or feel about our CSB+SJU community?

Leaders must inspire confidence. Leaders must stand when it seems all else is falling flat. Given this truth, I question why the Senate has sat so silently regarding a laundry list of student issues.

Do they not care? Or are they too busy spending the ever-growing student activity fee?

In recent months, several issues of serious racial conflict have occurred on the campus. This is not a new issue; this is a long-standing problem at our university. But despite recent incidents, the Senate has taken the unfavorable, weak, inept stance of silence. Another issue of serious concern is fines placed on St. John’s students over the winter break for improper checkout. We at St. John’s have gotten used to the annual burden of tuition increase. But I suppose senior administration wanted to give us all an added burden for the holidays… Fines for checking out of the dorms and apartments we pay thousands of dollars to reside in…how unbecoming…how unnecessary…what a shame.

An even greater shame is the lack of defense by the St. John’s Senate. Why are they all quiet? When it was time to get elected, the senators were at your doors daily making their case for election. But now, you cannot find them.

Not one significant or substantial stance or policy, project or new idea has come out of the Senate since August.

So, what has the Senate spent $55,000 of student dollars on? Despite their wasteful spending, the executives tout themselves as capable and ready for the burden of leadership—what a fallacy, what a joke.

The Senate finds itself in a perpetual personnel crisis. Constantly, there is a desperate search to fill positions; the once most sought-after student association on campus now finds itself not just continually marred by controversy but marred by a damaged brand.

In two consecutive years, the vice president of the senate has felt the need to resign. It’s difficult to see two individuals — both of whom I consider good colleagues — become so exhausted by the wave of ineptitude that has washed over the senate since my enrollment.

There comes a time when we must sit down and be serious. And, seriously speaking, the senate needs to change its behavior before it becomes obsolete.

I would be remiss if I did not discuss an issue of great importance to the future of student leadership and power.

Tomorrow, the Johnnies will vote on whether the president of the St. John’s Senate will be allowed to serve multiple terms, meaning one person could be president for their sophomore, junior and senior years. I find this amendment to be most unnecessary.

This vote is coming before you because never in the history of our institution has any president considered serving multiple terms.

We Johnnies in student leadership pride ourselves on passing on the mantle of leadership to new voices and individuals who are willing to serve.

In the 4 years we will spend at this university, what sense does it make to have one president for 50%, 75% or 100% of one’s time in college?

There are so many talented, diverse, strong leaders who are ready and poised to serve in senior student leadership roles and will be shut down by such an unwise amendment.

I will not allow senior Senate leadership and their insecurities to ruin over 100 years of tradition to protect their status and maintain the status quo — this is a severe wrong.

Where does that leave you, the student body? On the back burner: to face the issues that matter to you alone.

I call on you, my fellow students, to unite with me and firmly reject this proposal when it comes before you.

Before the academic year ends, I will stand in election for the presidency and trustee positions.

If I am afforded the privilege and honor of the presidency, I would do all I can, in fact the very best I can, for a full academic year as the Senate constitution demands and I would not seek reelection.

Why? Because it is the gracious thing to do, the honorable thing to do, the decent thing to do.

A true leader understands that his legacy is not defined by length of service but by impact.

I would not see a need to seek a second term because my impact will be well-defined as it has been over my several Senate tenures.

I call on you to reject this proposal because this Senate has failed to take good care of you and defend you from issues of serious consequence.

I call on you to say “no” to a proposal that would shut the door on several student leaders whose voices and talents deserve the power of the presidency behind it and say “no” to this proposal because once again the Senate, which we trust to handle student affairs, has done nothing but be a massive student-funded expenditure; yielding no return on the investment, just a big loss for you and me.