Spring Break
Magnetized version of student rights superfluous
by Matt Lawrence
Op-Ed | 11/4/08
Posted online at 1:05 AM EST on 11/4/08
The Student Union is wasting their time and our money to do something that is not very important. Within the next few weeks, 500 magnets will be given out to the roughly 1,400 students living in North, Massell, East and Rosenthal Quads and the Castle, as well as to those passing by on the Rabb steps. The Union plans to give us a few selections from their Student Bill of Rights printed on these magnets.
The Union is interested in presenting itself as concerned about student rights. They spent a lot of time writing and rewriting its high-profile Bill of Rights -- they first started working on it at the beginning of last year -- and now, to make sure we care enough about their good work, they are handing it out and sticking it to our metallic surfaces. The rights enumerated are not very radical or surprising (indeed, one can find precedents in a more interesting Bill of Rights from the late 18th century).
The specific rights listed on the magnets have to do with the University's judicial processes. They're taken from the Student Bill of Rights and are more or less identical to the appropriate content from the standard University-issued Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Accordingly, the few students who do end up facing judicial review have nonmagnetized resources for finding out their rights.
To be fair, the Union-issued versions are a bit clearer and surrounded by less legalese. This was just the intent of the initiative, said Director of the Union's Office of Student Rights and Advocacy Laura Cohen '09. She told the Justice she hoped the project would help inform students what they're entitled to "in a more straightforward way."
Another Union officer, Director of Communications Jamie Ansorge '09, told the Justice he feels this project is of "the utmost importance."
I believe the Union is trying to capitalize on a few trivial issues by posturing as the advocate of the student. This seems to be the only way in which the initiative could be considered of the utmost importance.
The Union is interested in presenting itself as concerned about student rights. They spent a lot of time writing and rewriting its high-profile Bill of Rights -- they first started working on it at the beginning of last year -- and now, to make sure we care enough about their good work, they are handing it out and sticking it to our metallic surfaces. The rights enumerated are not very radical or surprising (indeed, one can find precedents in a more interesting Bill of Rights from the late 18th century).
The specific rights listed on the magnets have to do with the University's judicial processes. They're taken from the Student Bill of Rights and are more or less identical to the appropriate content from the standard University-issued Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Accordingly, the few students who do end up facing judicial review have nonmagnetized resources for finding out their rights.
To be fair, the Union-issued versions are a bit clearer and surrounded by less legalese. This was just the intent of the initiative, said Director of the Union's Office of Student Rights and Advocacy Laura Cohen '09. She told the Justice she hoped the project would help inform students what they're entitled to "in a more straightforward way."
Another Union officer, Director of Communications Jamie Ansorge '09, told the Justice he feels this project is of "the utmost importance."
I believe the Union is trying to capitalize on a few trivial issues by posturing as the advocate of the student. This seems to be the only way in which the initiative could be considered of the utmost importance.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Lil Easy
posted 11/10/08 @ 3:02 AM EST
Matt Lawrence argues that distributing magnets with the Student Bill of Rights is unnecessary and a waste of Union time and resources. While I understand this position, I'd like to ask Mr. (Continued…)
Alan Royals
posted 11/10/08 @ 2:57 PM EST
A longtime criticizer of the Union, I can agree that this was probably a waste of money. However after the disaster that was Sinha's reign, isn't it a relief that the worst "slip-up" we're talking about is magnets?
Post a Comment