On the Role of a Civil Servant

The current state of the Student Council is worrying. Chatters across the benches as the committees that worked so hard to present their proposals attempt to hush the loud laughters. I recall last meeting where numerous voting representatives chose not to stand up and vote, and instead, chose to sit down and watch the show. StuCo was founded as a platform for students to voice their opinions and to be heard. A glorious purpose, yet something must've happened that caused it to become a laughing stock.

Going around campus, I hardly find traces of StuCo's influence on the student body. The only time I see StuCo's name is when I see the posters for the elections. Yet, I fail to see the enthusiasm that representatives gave off when they ran for their positions. I could see the dorm reps offering fervent speeches, yet these same dorm reps chose to sit through the meeting and watch.

The effectiveness of any governing body depends on the people who are in it. If the people in it are not dedicated to the cause, then the cause will be lost. To participate as a member of the student council is effectively dedicating one's self to the community. It is a commitment to become a civil servant, to serve the community and to serve the school. It is a commitment to be a part of the solution, not the problem.

StuCo requires dedicated people to be a part of it. It requires people who are willing to put in the time and effort to make a difference. Yet this is what StuCo currently lacks, and without it StuCo cannot be effective. I constantly question myself if there is a way out of the vortex. Never had the Tech Committee break above 50% in attendance, and the I wonder if the same goes for the other committees. I wonder if there is a way to awaken the masses, to let members understand that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. I wonder if there is a way to make StuCo a place where people can come together and work towards a common goal.

"Sound highly radical and commital doesn't it?" Some said to me. "You're asking for too much." Others said. I say that it is not radical, nor is it commital. It is simply a matter of being a civil servant. As Sir Winston Churchill puts it, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." I believe that we can make a difference, and I believe that we can make a difference together.

Let us show that we care about what we signed up for. To serve the students, to seek solutions, and to participate in the community. Let us show that we are dedicated to the cause. Let us show that we are civil servants.