I love a good Student Government spat. As a former student senator, I have lived through several, including some really good ones we caused with The Pirate Captain. They’re fun, trust me, because you finally get to see your name in the paper and sometimes, you even get a picture. You feel like you’ve got some sort of resemblance to a real North Carolina state senator, I’ve been there and done it all.
This issue with Student Body President Bobby Mills isn’t anything new. I’m surprised it took this long for the wound to fester and finally rupture with all things considered. But again, as always with every student body president, the issue isn’t what Bobby’s done, but instead what Bobby hasn’t done — other than “talk” with administrators.
Look no further than the article published in the Technician [“SBP promises unaccomplished,” Nov. 6, Saja Hindi] about the extent of his accomplishments so far into the semester. So far he’s achieved no tangible accomplishments, and the entire article discussed how he’s done nothing but “talk.”
As student body president, Mills is supposed to be the voice of the students to the administration, not the other way around. Too many times this year he’s failed to take up the students’ cross and instead serves as a mouthpiece of the administration. He’s let us down with tailgating and football policies, he’s failed to capitalize on any of his platform ideas and he’s gotten too caught up dabbling in student politics.
Not doing anything isn’t exactly grounds for impeachment or censure. Typically those punitive measures are reserved for ethical violations such as stealing tickets, statutory violations and breaches of the constitution. Mills falls somewhere in between, he hasn’t done anything wrong, but he hasn’t really done anything at all. As frustrating as it is, how does a deliberative body handle this situation? Better yet, how does the student body handle this situation?
The Student Senate has done too good of a job so far this year to let its activities be marred by a stupid fight with Bobby Mills. Let him dig his own hole without any help from the Student Senate. If he keeps on this track he’ll be getting patted down like normal students this time next year rather than going through a gate at Carter-Finley up to the Chancellor’s box at the football games.
In the meantime, Bobby — you need to step up your effort to knock out the things you claimed during the elections. The student body elected you to put in motion some of the changes that you promised, but instead it seems you’ve gotten too caught up in the peripheral glitz that comes with being an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees.
You’re not doing us any good by just “talking” to administrators. We — the student body — put you in power to take action. And on taking action, thus far you’ve failed.
Do you think Bobby has failed? Tell us your thoughts and e-mail them to [email protected].
