Northwestern’s Associated Student Government is not sexy. Its finances are too transparent for a juicy embezzlement scandal. Its meetings are too formal for a raucous debate. Its members are too principled to admit politicking. In fact, though ASG’s structure and resources have the potential to make dreams realities, its banalities have turned Northwestern students off.
As it happens, students often avoid working with ASG unless they need cash. In doing so, students often forget that ASG has much more to offer. Though it has faults, ASG works tirelessly and in good faith to make sure that students get what they want. It needs concrete reforms, but nothing can be done without the will and participation of the student body.
Established in 1969, ASG’s mission was — and still is — to communicate Northwestern students’ wishes to those in power using Senate legislation and committee proposals. Ultimately, committees propose specific ideas to the Senate, which deliberates and votes on them. ASG’s goal is to help frustrated students lobby for the changes that they desire.
The committee with the greatest clout is the Student Activities Finance Board (SAFB). SAFB controls the purse strings of $1.2 million. However, student groups must jump through multiple rings of fire – naked – in order to see more than a few dimes. To be recognized as an ASG group at all, you must send two members to a six-hour training session that James D’Angelo, the ASG clerk, described in an e-mail as “this big long process that teaches nothing, and makes groups waste a lot of time without getting anything for it.” There is also the long, arduous journey from T-Status (temporary) to A-Status (fully-recognized) that takes multiple applications, the same number of approvals and at least four quarters.
Here is where most students get turned off. They see the serpentine bureaucracy and they see the formality, but they don’t see how working with ASG can really effect change.
“ASG has a lot of red tape that must be followed, and groups basically just get frustrated and start to hate ASG,” D’Angelo said.
The Senate, which was designed to be the ultimate stage for students’ reform measures, has become the epitome of ASG’s malaise. The Senate’s speaker, sophomore Jesse Garfinkel, admits that students often aren’t engaged in meetings if they don’t have specific interests on the docket. Who would think that college students, who think that they know everything, would miss an opportunity to tell others what they think should be done?
Senior Julian Hill, last year’s opposition presidential candidate, offered exciting reforms to the currently entrenched system. The differences between Hill’s view of ASG and that of Senior Jonathan Webber, its current president, highlights the disconnect between ASG and its constituents. While Julian is an Obama-esque grassroots leader, Webber is more a Clinton-type — the Hillary version.
What can ASG do about these issues? Hill’s approach encourages the involvement of more students, both directly and indirectly. Senior Aneesa Arshad, the SAFB chair, echoes this opinion. She suggests that ASG could take out a weekly advertisement in The Daily Northwestern or post bulletins on NULink to communicate with the student body.
“We say we’re in touch with 8,000 students,” she said. “But we’re not.”
D’Angelo thinks that the substance rather than the form of communication with the administration should change. He says that ASG has spent too much time looking to assist the administration and not enough time advocating student interests. They both recognize that if ASG is to prove to students a legitimate and forceful actor on campus, it must link the students to those atop NU’s food chain.
Here’s five concrete reforms that could improve ASG:
- ASG should launch an assertive and wide-reaching marketing campaign, focusing on rebuilding its image (as D’Angelo advocates) and identifying opportunities to participate (Arshad’s idea).
- Senators should have to follow policies that make them more available and visible. If you are a senator, make it a point to meet your constituents and ask them questions.
- Senators and committee members directly affiliated with the subject group of a proposed measure should be allowed to debate the measure, but be barred from voting on it.
- Before the mundane orders of business start, the Senate should hold an open forum where students can present their opinions before senators, engage in debate and aggressively question their representatives. Think of it as “Prime Minister’s Questions” without the bitter British folks.
- Finally, a meeting each month between Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. William Banis and the ASG executive board should be open to the public, allowing students to comment on current discussions and inquire into progress being made.
These measures would address the perceived banality, slowness and insularity of ASG, but would not force students to become involved.
We have to realize what a great resource ASG really is. It controls $1.2 million independently of the administration; it meets on a weekly basis with a vice president of the University to discuss students’ qualms; it allows any student to propose legislation. It is nice to have people who genuinely want to solve our problems. It is unfortunate, however, that we have not taken advantage of our opportunities.
We are all frustrated about something. Instead of shaking your head and muttering something about the imperfections of ASG, air out your concerns at the next Senate or committee meeting.