Penn State is no longer the model institution for students, nor has it been for a long time now.
Students have been stripped of nearly every right to be involved in real decision-making power. At one time students controlled the activity fee, recognized organizations, handled disputes between student organizations and worked in shared governance with administrators.
Those days are long gone.
This is the reason former members of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) have organized a campaign to let students know what's happening at Penn State.
Awareness Week kicks off at 8 tonight in 102 Thomas where students can learn about issues like tuition hikes and financial aid.
Student leaders at Penn State have been placed in the role of administrative lackeys. These student leaders may have the titles that make them seem powerful, but in reality they are not given the opportunity to be involved in true decision making.
A clear example of this is the Cabinet of Student Leaders. This is an organization of 20 members who are handpicked by Dr. Vicky Triponey, the vice president of student affairs. In principle the idea of having student leaders organized to make change is great. However, the cabinet meets when Dr. Triponey wants them to meet, and the purpose of the organization is mainly for the administration to say that they are meeting with students and listening to their concerns.
There is not a single positive thing to come from this cabinet in its history, evident by the continued stripping of rights. I do commend Dr. Triponey for extending the cabinet to 20 members, as when she came into power it was below 10.
However if the panel has no true decision-making power and the members are picked by administrators instead of students, then what is the point of having it?
Since the cabinet's existence came about, there has been a rise in administrative abuse. Since its creation, groups like the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), the Fee Allocation Board (FAB) and Special Programming Association (SPA) have come into existence. All these organizations have administrative safeguards, which do not allow for students to have real power.
The UPUA, the official voice of the students, is only an advisory board in its current form. This can not continue if students are ever going to have a say in how this university operates. FAB is an organization that uses the student activity fee without the student body having control. It serves primarily as an advisory board to Dr. Triponey. In the end, Dr. Triponey makes the decision as to who gets our activity fee.
But in reality, do you care?
There are more than 40,000 students at this university. If we began to unite to say that we are not going to take it anymore, no longer will we be abused by Old Main -- then change can occur. Everyone complains about issues like tuition increasing and students losing power, yet nothing will change if we remain silent.
There are more than a thousand registered groups at this university, it is time that all these groups who deal with their specific special interests unite to fight the main issues. We Penn State students can make a difference. However, until we realize how powerful we are, administrators will continue to strip students rights.
Strength and unity will plant the seeds of change for tomorrow -- for the future of Old State.
