In my business ethics class last week, we explored Rawls’ principle and the concept of veiled ignorance. My professor handed each of us a note card and told us to keep it face down. He then instructed us to take out a sheet of paper on which we would answer a series of yes or no questions. We were making decisions as to whether or not we wanted certain things to be allowed or provided in a society we were creating. It asked whether or not we would have things such as civil rights, unemployment benefits, gay rights, a welfare system, capital punishment, a flat tax system, the right to an abortion, etc. After everyone completed the answers, we turned over the note cards to find out who we were in that society. For some class members, the answers they wrote down dramatically impacted the well being of their life in that society. How different would those answers have been had they known the person on the other side of the card? What if nobody knew who he or she would be in a society when they were setting the standards? It made me think: What if the University of Alabama could be that future society? What if we, as students, were responsible for writing a code of ethics for UA? What would our University look like if students had to decide what the rules and principles of our campus would be before they knew who they would be on campus? What rules would you create? What practices would you put in place? What if you had no clue which organizations you would join? What if you didn’t know whether or not you were male or female, black or white, out-of-state or international, A&S or C&BA, greek house legacy or first generation student, Christian or Muslim? What if you didn’t know if you would hold a leadership position in Spectrum, NPHC or SGA? What ideals would you want our campus to embody? What would be the governing principles that we all decide to abide by? Think about the rules you would want in place if you didn’t know your fate. Think about what you want our campus to be, what our campus should be in order to give a fair chance to everyone. As the SGA election season comes into full swing, I think the above questions are more important than ever. As students, we have the opportunity to evaluate candidates based on the values we think our campus should aspire to uphold. Blonde or brunette, pearls or TOMS, cargo shorts or Costas – our campus should provide equal opportunities for all students. This is not to say that pearls can’t be worn with TOMS or that cargo shorts and Costas can’t go hand in hand. We should learn to appreciate and respect the needs of those outside of our social circles. When choosing an SGA candidate, we should consider who has these ideals in mind; someone who will embody a culture of understanding and acceptance. Just like Rawls’ principle, I want our campus leaders to consider what is best for the student body as a whole and not give priority to their personal interests and interests of groups with which they are associated. What kind of society do you want to live in?

Charlotte Brown is a senior majoring in marketing and management.