2008 Woodie Awards
Work for an informed campus; it's our civic duty
Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: Opinions
The days of college sit-ins and protests have long since passed. No longer is it a common sight to see flower-toting, love-activist students wandering around campus barefooted and supporting handmade political rally signs.
While the above is an embellished stereotype of '70s political activism, it seems we can barely bolster enough support to vote in the Student Government Association elections.
This does not mean that college students are not politically inclined, we may just lack the proper motivation or means to express our opinions. We don't lack awareness, only activism.
This can be juxtaposed with the poor focus on political issues that affect us, which is often coupled with the "cold shoulder" by politicians towards our demographic. Because really, who cares what college students think?
The problems between the "everyman" college student and political "bigwigs" create an extreme disharmony and cause political apathy among college students.
But like many solutions, the answer is easier in theory than practice. Communication and availability are the keys to an increase in political activism.
Whether we like it or not, MTSU is a suitcase campus. It seems students are on campus for one reason alone: class.
This becomes very inconvenient in communicating important issues and events to students whose soul focus is class, because if we don't know about it, we don't care about it.
Finding events on campus is a very difficult task. Looking at the garbage pile of fliers in the Business and Aerospace Building is frustrating, the campus Web site is darn near impossible to navigate and many organizations tend to advertise among their own circle of friends.
Governmental bodies, whether on a campus, state or national level, have to properly communicate access to their political venues. If you call us, we will come.
This, of course, requires availability on our part. It is time to stop coming to MTSU just for class and time to start participating in our political systems.
We must make a stronger effort to be conscious of our surroundings and involve ourselves in the programs, clubs, lectures and events at MTSU and our community offers.
From SGA to Rutherford County political parties, any college student can and should become involved on some level of politics.
Only when the harmony of politically active college students and governmental bodies is restored can we return to the glory days of college student political activism.
The 70s, however, can keep the flowers, bare feet and tie-dye.
While the above is an embellished stereotype of '70s political activism, it seems we can barely bolster enough support to vote in the Student Government Association elections.
This does not mean that college students are not politically inclined, we may just lack the proper motivation or means to express our opinions. We don't lack awareness, only activism.
This can be juxtaposed with the poor focus on political issues that affect us, which is often coupled with the "cold shoulder" by politicians towards our demographic. Because really, who cares what college students think?
The problems between the "everyman" college student and political "bigwigs" create an extreme disharmony and cause political apathy among college students.
But like many solutions, the answer is easier in theory than practice. Communication and availability are the keys to an increase in political activism.
Whether we like it or not, MTSU is a suitcase campus. It seems students are on campus for one reason alone: class.
This becomes very inconvenient in communicating important issues and events to students whose soul focus is class, because if we don't know about it, we don't care about it.
Finding events on campus is a very difficult task. Looking at the garbage pile of fliers in the Business and Aerospace Building is frustrating, the campus Web site is darn near impossible to navigate and many organizations tend to advertise among their own circle of friends.
Governmental bodies, whether on a campus, state or national level, have to properly communicate access to their political venues. If you call us, we will come.
This, of course, requires availability on our part. It is time to stop coming to MTSU just for class and time to start participating in our political systems.
We must make a stronger effort to be conscious of our surroundings and involve ourselves in the programs, clubs, lectures and events at MTSU and our community offers.
From SGA to Rutherford County political parties, any college student can and should become involved on some level of politics.
Only when the harmony of politically active college students and governmental bodies is restored can we return to the glory days of college student political activism.
The 70s, however, can keep the flowers, bare feet and tie-dye.
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