The UA System Board of Trustees met Friday to approve the proposed operating budget for 2015. At that meeting, the Board gave the rubber stamp to numerous construction and demolition projects, including $13,892,375 going toward a loan for the construction of a new Zeta Tau Alpha house and $4,479,944 for the New Academic Classroom project. In addition, the Board approved changes to the UA Student Handbook, mostly revolving around updates to departments that have undergone changes in structure or name in the past year.
This all seems relatively benign; however, we are talking about tens of millions of dollar, and I would venture to say that the majority of students on this campus had absolutely no idea that this meeting was even scheduled to take place. Trustee Joe Espy, a former SGA president, rightly asked whether students’ and faculty members’ opinions had been taken into consideration when deciding whether to approve these changes. In response, current SGA president Hamilton Bloom said he was satisfied with the degree of student involvement with the proposals.
Perhaps I’m far less aware of the dynamics within this University than I thought I was, but I do not recall a single instance where any genuine effort was made to include students in this decision-making process. Going back through my inbox, not a single email was sent asking for student input, nor am I aware of anything similar to the Student Opinions of Instruction surveys that attempt to engage students with the Board of Trustees.
This is critical for a number of reasons. The University of Alabama does not exist without its students. It has an obligation to ensure that the decisions it makes, especially those involving millions of dollars coming from our tuition payments (which the trustees also set), are aligned with the desires and values we hold. Contrary to perhaps popular belief, we did not sign away our souls when we agreed to attend this university. We simply agreed to fork over significant bundles of cash with the expectation that it would be used in a way that furthered our education and our ability to make an impact in our community.
Many other universities, such as the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, have a non-voting student member on the Board, elected by university students, who is required to at least minimally engage students in the Board’s decisions. At The University of Alabama, the SGA president is tasked with such a role, but because he has numerous other responsibilities, it would make more sense to have an entirely separate position dedicated toward dealing with such issues.
If the Board of Trustees ever decided it was going to cease including student input in offering a quality education, we would rightly be irate. So why is it any different that we don’t have a voice when it comes to multimillion dollar projects? The Board should make a real effort to reach out to students for their opinions, but if we are to make the most out of this relationship, we must meet them halfway. For as much complaining about the University as we students are apt to do, there is comparatively little action. Consider this an ideal avenue for action.
Chisolm Allenlundy is a junior majoring in philosophy and economics. His column runs weekly.
