Bishop says student union is in the crossroads in annual address
MEGHANNE DOWNES
Assistant News Editor
Student Body President Libby Bishop said the student union is at a crossroads during her State of the Student Union address.
According to Bishop, this crossroads refers to the "huge group of students still feeling frustrated about the lack of input, but also the intersecting group of students who are writing in to the administration and voicing their opinion."
"It is not necessarily two completely separate groups of students but also other signs of student voices emerging," said Bishop.
Bishop stressed that the student union will only be strong if the correct path from this crossroads is followed. This path includes converting student concerns into constructive dialogue before student frustration becomes student apathy.
"We are going to try to build upon this interest of student involvement to use it in a constructive ways to get students involved with student government," she said.
According to Bishop, the number of e-mails in her inbox, the students that stop her on the quad and student letters to the administration are indicators that students are utilizing their voice.
Bishop called on her staff and other student leaders to use their potential "by being effective in our communication with administrators and also the student body."
Citing the motivation of University administrators to improve Notre Dame, Bishop said that her direction is to work with the administration. She said that she believes that by being honest and coordinating meetings with the administration that both bodies can benefit by strengthening the student union.
Bishop and her staff have made some headway by accomplishing effective communication with administrators.
According to Bishop, their most encouraging meeting was with Bill Kirk, who was "open and honest about talking about du Lac revisions in an active way."
As a result, there will be increased student input in the drafting of the du Lac revisions. Her early April meeting with Father Mark Poorman was not as successful because the Assistant Vice President for Residence Life remained firm in his stance that a definitive direction is already set with regard to the alcohol policy.
All News Stories for Thursday, April 25, 2002
