Let me preface this letter by stating that I believe the N.C. State Student Government does many great things for the student body, and I appreciate all the hard work that the members do to make our university the best. 

I briefly spoke to Senator Alex Grindstaff in the Brickyard last week during a student and faculty protest of the Hofmann Forest. He said he was writing a resolution to oppose the sale of Hofmann Forest and that the resolution would be heard that very night. I was so ecstatic to hear this. Finally, Student Government would hear what the students have to say on this issue. That same night, the fast-track for the resolution was cancelled. 

Student Body President Alex Parker stated that not enough student input was in this resolution and said he would veto the bill if it had gone through. The bill was then moved to the Public Affairs Committee to be discussed so there could be more student input on the resolution. Deans Eatman, head of the Public Affairs Committee, said the resolution would be discussed at a future meeting because the agenda for last night’s meeting had been previously set. I appreciate the speed with which Mr. Eatman replied to me, but I do not appreciate this resolution being put on the backburner. I am sure the topics discussed in last night’s meeting were important, but when you have articles in local papers every day about a topic that is making national news, a question of prioritizing arises. Mr. Eatman has voiced his personal opinion that he sides with administration’s decision to sell the forest. This makes me wonder when this debate on this resolution will take place. We only have one more week of classes this semester. How long after this forum takes place will Student Government be able to vote about anything? Every day we wait is one less day for students to lend their voices to this debate. 

The actions that the leaders of Student Government have taken so far say this to me: “We agree with the administration on this topic.” I applaud how proactive Grindstaff has been in relation to this topic. He has stepped up to be someone students against the sale can talk to in Student Government. The Technician had a poll to see if students thought the University should cancel the sale of the Hofmann Forest. Of the 250 students who responded, 86 percent said they were against it. This says to me that the student body does not agree with administration on this topic. Even if this is not completely representative of the entire student population, there has been enough student opposition to this sale and to how it has been handled to warrant some urgency in its handling with Student Government. Student Government is supposed to represent the views of the students, not the views of the administration and not personal views of members, but the collective view of the students of this university. I do not go to Alex Parker University and I am not in the Deans Eatman College. I go to N.C. State and I, along with many in this student body, do not agree with how this sale has been handled. I challenge the N.C. State Student Government to work quickly to have a student forum regarding this resolution. I challenge the N.C State Student Government to prove me wrong and show that they are willing to hear the student voice on this issue as quickly as possible.

Brian Iezzi 

sophomore in textile engineering/materials science and engineering