Throughout the years, the students of Stony Brook University have generally been inclined toward voicing disapproval over the Undergraduate Student Government’s performance. So far this year, however, the trend has been abruptly stymied.
The results of the election that brought these students into office surprised no one. They affiliated with each other using the name of “The After Party,” a brand that perfectly encapsulates their personal philosophy regarding governing. This name conveyed a sense of informality and relatability to the voters, which is exactly what they have delivered so far. However, while they have delivered and fought for many issues that are desired by the student population, the incidents of unprofessionalism that occasionally arise have tainted the accomplishments of this administration.
There have been a few times this semester when members of the USG Executive Council responded to student criticism on Facebook with demeaning and patronizing responses. While the members of the Executive Council did post through their personal Facebook accounts, being a representative of USG is not a position on a pick-and-choose basis. The student body recognizes the members of the Executive Council as being representatives of USG and when those representatives choose to act poorly toward the students they represent on Facebook, it is a reflection on USG as a whole. Additionally, the excessive informality in the way some members of USG communicate may lead some to the assumption that they do not take their roles seriously, which could result in a drop in confidence and support from the student body.
Despite this lack of judgment when posting on social media, USG has worked hard this year to improve student life. Every month since September, we have seen some form of big event on campus. While this type of initiative began with the previous administration’s creation of the “Back to the Brook” concert that first took place last September, the current USG Executive Council has really stepped up in terms of booking relevant acts on campus. Not only have these performances attracted large crowds, but they have managed to thus far avoid criticism about only catering to a specific genre of music. Most students on campus have been genuinely excited about at least one, if not all, of the events, which has been a significant step up from years past.
USG has also made an attempt to communicate with students more. They created SB Voice, a message board on USG’s website where students can post their concerns about campus-related topics. Through this, they’ve held open forums for students to meet with campus organizations to talk about their concerns. In the past, some of the primary problems students had with USG were their lack of transparency and confusion about the inner workings of the organization. A continued dedication to improvements such as SB Voice might lead to much more positive interactions between USG and the student body.
The effort that USG is making this year to include students in their decision-making process and to deliver more of what students are interested in is refreshing. So far, this new administration is a nice change from years past, despite their informal and somewhat insulting social media presence.
Sincerely-
The Editorial Board
