The Exponent


Wednesday 2/28/2001	5 day quick link 3/27 \| 3/26 \| 3/23 \| 3/22 \| 3/21

PSG members ignorantly fear change

I know that the Purdue Student government doesn't work for me because I had the chance to meet one of my "representatives" while he was campaigning.

A year ago, I was by the engineering fountain when two guys asked if I lived off campus. When I said yes, they asked me to sign a petition.

When I inquired what it was for I was told one guy was running for student government. Naturally I asked what his platform was. He responded, "What?" I asked why he wanted to run for student government; how was he going to represent me as an off-campus student. He replied by asking me what I thought his issues should be. The conversation went on... The point is that he had no clear political agenda, nothing he wanted to accomplish as a member of PSG and he already had over 900 signatures.

Do I think all members of PSG are that ignorant? No. But over the past year I've been paying much closer attention to what goes on. I've heard a lot fighting, with little visible progress. I do think there is a serious need for change.

Personally, I find the refusal by PSG to even listen to the IRC findings preposterous. Furthermore, not to blow the situation out of proportion, the British government also considered the Declaration of Independence to be unethical and illegal. Change is always met with resistance by people who might lose power.

I can't tell anyone whether or not to vote for the referendum. Read the proposal for yourself (http://expert.cc.purdue.edu/~psg select Internal Review Committee findings at bottom of page) and vote yes or no based on what you think. But vote. Don't let the "debating" (i.e. bickering) deter you from letting PSG know you have a voice.

Misti Pinter

Junior, School of Liberal Arts

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