Trustees' Silence

[50's PONY]

OPINION


Travis Glenn
The trustees' silence
OP/ED


By Travis Glenn
Senior economics and international studies double major
February 25, 2004


Without all of the reasons, the evidence and the feasibility studies, it is hard to really understand what is behind last week’s decision to cut the men’s track and field team.

In the coming week, hopefully all the missing facts will come to light. Then the student body will be given its rightful chance to voice its opinion — what I hope is its profound disappointment with the Board of Trustees’ decision.

While the merits of the decision await an open debate, one thing is very clear: the revelation of this decision was handled exceptionally poorly. And that, my friends, is putting it nicely.

The team was told Wednesday, the campus Thursday and the final vote taken Friday. Within two days, SMU men’s track and field had no future.

It takes at least three days to apply for sanctioned space to protest, and once secured, the constraints on an “acceptable” demonstration nearly paralyze the effort.

If Gandhi had abided by those required restrictions, India would still be part of the United Kingdom.

This silence on the part of the administration is not merely limited to the student body at large, but to the members of Student Senate, including the student body officers. While it is an excellent part of this university’s policy that students do indeed sit on the governing boards (and therefore voted on this decision), these few students are by no means the full extent of student communication with the administration.

They should not be relied on as such.

Add to this secrecy the press conference held on Friday, and all that is left is a near complete boycott of student involvement, one that requires neither permit nor approval.

This unacceptable circumvention of students and their elected representatives is a betrayal of the very purpose of those representatives, and regardless of the rationale, casts a large cloud of doubt over the basis of the decision.

How could it truly have been student focused if steps, exceptionally well-executed steps, were taken to almost completely avoid the larger student voice?

Truly, in a university whose mission is “enhanc[ing] the intellectual, cultural, technological, ethical and social development of a diverse student body” this most recent disregard for students adds a noticeably hollow ring to that noble purpose.

In what way is cutting a nationally successful team of international athletes conducive to the development of any of the above goals of the university?

Though, I must say, the means by which the decision was announced certainly have taught us all valuable lessons about ethical development.

The steps taken concerning the Men’s track and field team by the administration are truly deplorable, and if they get nothing else from this article, here’s a freebie. This university is designed to prepare its students to “become contributing citizens and leaders for our state, nation and world.”

In my experience, it does a pretty good job. Please remember, Board of Trustees, that next time you cut us out of the decision making process, next time you so blatantly disregard our right to help guide this university, that we still followed the rules.

We did not protest in a disorganized fashion, did not get caught up in the moment. We did not even do a sit-in outside the board meeting. We chose to be those leaders we are educated to be, and waited.

We waited for your explanations, for your reasons and, most of all, for your apology.

Thanks for coming to Senate on Tuesday. I’m glad we talked about the track team. But know that we invited you.

We sought you because we respect that you are an important part of this community. The least you can do is show us this same respect in the future.



Travis Glenn is senior economics and international studies double major. He is also a member of Student Senate. He may be reached at tglenn@smu.edu.

[Eddie P]

Relating this in anyway to Mahatma Gandhi and protests for civil rights is deplorable. I imagine some student leaders take themselves a little too seriously...like I probably did when I was that age.

[MizterTea]

nice to see that some other suckas understand that the athletic department's problems go beyond Copeland -

the SMU Athletic Department may believe in the Commitment, but the trustee foo's sure don't seem to be commited

I pity them foo's

BTW- Eddie P, cut the jibba jabba, that's a college kid writin' - Mr. T sez cut them some slack - the overall message was right on

[Eddie P]

Very well. I'll send the college student a grant or something.