Show WE WEe COULD 0 U L D BE B E GREATER A G REA T E R S SCHOOL C H 0 0 By Brian J. J Shaw in Editor-in-Chief Salt Lake Community College is at a crossroads After a year one year one stint as the in editor-in-chief of the student newspaper it has come cometo to my attention doesn't know whether it wants to be a glorified high school or an accredited institution of learning And it worries me greatly The consensus among student senators is the school is run much like a totalitarian dictatorship with no regard to what the students really want a voice 90 of the professors here are adjuncts which means they are re time part-time teachers with very few benefits and limited teaching schedules The problem isn't within with with- in the system the problem IS the system It seems to be okay for full time professors to be shown the door in the name of saving money It happened in the Math department when a teach off of all things happened between two professors who have taught here for years Obviously feelings feelings feelings feel feel- ings have been hurt and careers put on hold with this ingenious idea I hope it doesn't happen in inthe inthe inthe the future To make matters worse the subsequent investigation of the powers that be in the Student Association revealed some major discrepancies in the bookkeeping practices of a party and their campaign finances during student body elections this year However the SA overseers overseers overseers over over- seers of the election took no responsibility for the allegations during the election and failed to remit a statement which in all honesty would have helped in clearing names of any wrongdoing ing from the Globes Globe's s perspective To think that an entire department department department depart depart- ment would refuse accountability ty is ridiculous considering the ramifications of what was done in the name of something great in their opinion Ethicist John Stuart Mills Mill's Principle of Utility states that we seek the greatest happiness for the greatest number number number num num- ber and it was suggested to me meby meby meby by a high ranking school administrator administrator administrator admin admin- that the SA simply tried to prevent more harm from occurring politically and personally by forgetting about it and hoping the problems would go away So they held an inauguration party although neither neither neither nei nei- nei- nei ther of the opposing parties conceded conceded conceded con con- ceded victory and forced the election to reach a conclusion But my problem with it was the deficiency wasn't corrected corrected corrected cor cor- in the first place there were no happy faces in Bruin Land and less than fifty people showed up at the victory celebration cele cele- bration To be certain Im I'm not sure the students care but there are reasons why they should the election turnout itself Out of roughly students only 1400 bothered to turn in a ballot and three thre of the campuses Airport Millcreek and Tooele had their polling booths open for a grand total of two hours each Why two hours you ask Because the theSA theSA theSA SA felt it would be a waste of time to keep them open for any longer period of time But they forgot to ask the students and the response we got from the student body was not fa favorable Not favorable means a measly 11 II percent of the student body actually gave a hoot about the elections in the first place and the turnout says a lot about what will have to over over- come There were so many worthwhile events that had sparse turnouts at best dances were to the credit of SA very successful as were the sporting events with the Bruins nationally national national- ly ranked in women's basketball for most of the year and the themen's themen's themen's mens men's baseball squad assured of at least a fighting chance to tomake tomake tomake make the this spring Also the clubs on cam cam- pus impressed with organizational organization organization- al savvy and strong strong leadership leadership and wild events ranging from a costume ball held by Coloring Outside the Lines to a Polynesian Club luau and a weeklong Cinco De Mayo courtesy courtesy courtesy cour cour- tesy of the Hispanic Student Council among others Word is going around campus that clubs will become more involved in student Senate next year If so that would be a major step stepin in improving diversity diversi diversi- ty student relations as well as empowering others The Winter Olympics and subsequent Games seemed to bring out the best in everyone So did the attacks of 9 11 II and the n rallying cry of support support support sup sup- port heard throughout the US U.S. But it needs to happen now at Student leaders need to show accountability at all times regardless of their motive or reason reason reason rea rea- son not to Your future as a school may depend on itA it i 1 |