Less than a month after making the results of the first
Undergraduate Students Association Council survey public, David
Dahle and the Students United for Reform and Equality general
representatives are compiling a second one.
The S.U.R.E. slate ran on a platform last spring emphasizing the
importance of gauging student interests through surveying, but
there was an expectation it would actually lead to action. Instead,
it seems its main purpose is to inform council members about the
opinions they should have. For example, Adam Harmetz, a S.U.R.E
general representative, said he would have voted differently on the
Iraq resolution if he had known the results of the survey. This is
somewhat disheartening. Though keeping in touch with student
opinion is important, council members should also have their own
opinions. Students elect people, not computers.
Instead of having expensive, massive, non-scientific surveys
quarterly, the president’s office should consider contracting
another party to conduct fewer, scientific surveys. Another option
is establishing an independent commission dedicated solely to
measuring student opinion. It might be more expensive, but the time
it saves the president and the general representatives to focus
their offices on working on issues that concern students ““ as
indicated by the first survey ““ rather than continuously
trying to assess what they are, is worth it. By the time the second
survey’s results are made public, the quarter will be in its
final stages and council attention will be focused on the spring
elections.
Keep in touch with students, but get something done.