FELICE: The problem with student self-governance

Cavalier Daily

OPINIONU.Va. crowning jewel is mistreated, unrepresentative and negatively affects our image



by Mark Felice
| Mar 21 2017 | 3 hours ago

















Leadership and responsibility are qualities every student should be allowed to learn and express while at the University. However, these philosophies have been misused most by the free reign bestowed upon us by the administration. Organizations like the Honor Committee, student Class Councils and the University Guide Service prompt underlying faults which hinder action. Self-governance pits student against student, allows an elite class to govern and underrepresents many groups. All of these complications will continue to divide students unless fundamental administrative intervention is taken to change the way our system works. The way student leadership works right now is not true self-governance, but an aristocracy. Competitiveness in joining student organizations and academics is quite contradictory to what the University strives for in the idea of student self-governance. The University states the culture of self-governance gives graduates “a lasting sense of initiative, decisiveness and self-confidence.” Self-confidence is crushed when a new student can’t get into any clubs because they don’t quite fit the mold. Those who say this prepares us for the workplace are looking at the outside world from a pessimistic angle. The focus should be on easing students into the process of adulthood. Many of the aspects surrounding our college life are far from adulthood. The assumptions that weekends start on Thursdays, work only lasts in increments of 50 minutes and the way we act in college would be sufficient in the workplace are all examples of where students still need administrative guidance. Student competitiveness is perpetuated by the administration through student self-governance and hurts students who are introverted or otherwise unique in some alienating way. It creates a social aspect which is unwelcoming, cliquish and elitist. Saying we have a unique group of student leaders on Grounds is far ...

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