Classes are finally over today and we are gearing up for studying for exams. However, student leaders and University officials are still talking about the Nov. 3 incident in the Free Expression Tunnel. While this was a serious offense to the community and the University, it was not something that needs to be solved by a University committee. It should be resolved by  student-led initiatives.

The reason we’re here is education. Engineers need to learn about different things than graphic designers do, but these majors’ curricula overlap with general education classes. These classes shouldn’t be scoffed at as another requirement. They should instead by recognized as a way for students to increase the breadth of their knowledge. The University has facilitated this program to educate students and has required students to take these classes, but has rightfully left students to pick which ones to take for themselves.

The idea of a student-led organization monitoring the tunnel was originally proposed at the Roundtable meeting on Nov. 10, and was reintroduced at the Chancellor’s Liaison meeting Wednesday. The emphasis should instead be on student initiation, involvement and awareness. It shouldn’t take a Student Government or University committee to say a club needs to be formed. Students have to take the initiative to start one themselves. This will make the organization viable and will make representative the students’ vision, not something the University thinks.

With the formation of the University Values and Ethics Advisory Council, faculty and University administration will be evaluating what the feelings of the community are and defining its values. While this gives the University administration something to point out when things like the tunnel incident happen, the students have to live by these values. We will need to give constant feedback to this committee to make sure its values are reflected in the statements the council develops.

Students may be tired of hearing about it, but the topics raised from the incident in the Free Expression Tunnel are important. These problems are not things the University administration needs to regulate. Students will get things done. When you go away for the break, don’t forget about what happened — think about what you, as a student, are capable of doing to solve these issues.