OPINION: The real issues with ASCSU are internal

COLLEGIAN COLUMNISTS

The real issues with ASCSU are internal

By Cat Blouch

@blouchcat Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

What do you think of when you hear about the Associated Students of Colorado State University?

For some students at Colorado State University, ASCSU is a place where they can make an impact. Other students hear about the organization in passing, such as during election season, while the remainder of students don’t know what ASCSU is or what they are responsible for.

When asked the question, “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: I know what ASCSU is responsible for?” 135 CSU student respondents answered in the following ways: ■ 31.85% said “strongly disagree” ■ 26.67% said “disagree” ■ 5.93% said “neither agree nor disagree” ■ 25.93% said “agree” ■ 9.63% said “strongly agree”

Though the results are across the board, the majority of respondents — nearly 60% — said they don’t know what ASCSU is responsible for. This is a notion ASCSU President Rob Long echoed, saying, “I think right now, the student body ... is very confused as to what we do.”

So why is there such a disconnect? Is it because information about the organization isn’t available, or is it simply not reaching the student body?

When asked the question, “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: ASCSU is transparent with the student body?” 127 respondents answered in the following ways: ■ 21.26% said “strongly disagree” ■ 23.62% said “disagree” ■ 42.52% said “neither agree nor disagree” ■ 11.02% said “agree” ■ 1.57% said “strongly agree”

Again, we’re seeing slightly unfavorable results here. Speaker of the Senate Nick DeSalvo said the organization is “transparent in a sense that with our senate meetings everything is recorded and put on YouTube, (and) there’s a chance for gallery input for anyone who wants to speak on behalf of any issue.”

DeSalvo has a point. There are resources that fill in the student body as to what ASCSU is working on. The ASCSU website has a tab for each branch of the organization in addition to a tab that helps students get involved.

Senate meetings are recorded and put on YouTube, open for the general public to view. Here at The Collegian, we publish weekly updates on ASCSU and what they’re working on. The resources that make ASCSU transparent are there, but whether the general student body is aware of them is a different matter.

If the disconnect between ASCSU and the student body isn’t due to a transparency issue, then where is the root of the problem? Perhaps the issue is internal — within the organization itself.

“I think the respect has been lost,” DeSalvo said. “I campaigned on this: The senate environment is a toxic environment.”

DeSalvo went on to say, “There are instances where somebody, maybe in an influential position who’s vocal, can kind of bully others into submission on a bill that really isn’t controversial, but maybe they don’t like the author of that bill, and so they consistently try to make a mountain out of a molehill and make a nonissue an issue.”

Long mirrored this statement.

“I think one thing we could improve upon is just general respect towards one another in the space,” Long said. “I think sometimes, you know, if someone disagrees with your bill, they just take it personally, and they’ll never want to work with you again.”

Ideally, ASCSU and the student body are supposed to have a mutual relationship. This starts with transparency. While ASCSU is headed in the right direction here with the resources already available, they need to make sure they are doing the proper student outreach so students are aware of all the resources.

Once students become aware of what takes place within the organization, it’s easier for them to hold the organization accountable. Accountability will make it harder for individuals solely focused on personal or political goals to hold the power within the senate space.

In many ways, ASCSU is a microcosm of our own government. Instead of working together on common goals, we see infighting and fractures over bipartisan issues. Thankfully, ASCSU is working on a much smaller scale, and there are fewer obstacles toward the goal of unifying student leaders toward common goals as opposed to personal gains.

If ASCSU was able to focus on its internal power struggles in addition to making its resources more accessible, it’s very possible the organization could make huge positive impacts on the CSU community.

But just as ASCSU has a commitment to transparency and respect, as a student body, it is also our responsibility to hold them accountable. I encourage you to become familiar with these resources: Sit in on a senate meeting, read a weekly update or walk into the ASCSU office and speak to the student leaders face to face. It goes both ways, as any symbiotic relationship should.

Reach Cat Blouch at letters@collegian.com.

“If ASCSU was able to focus on its internal power struggles in addition to making its resources more accessible, it’s very possible the organization could make huge positive impacts on the CSU community.”

Third-year computer science student Rithik Correa explains why he joined the Associated Students of Colorado State University, Aug. 31. “Everybody has really, you know, inspirational, inspiring stories of why they joined ASCSU,” Correa said. “I’m gonna be really honest, mine’s not that inspiring. ... But when I got here, I realized all the changes that you can make with this position.” PHOTO BY CAT BLOUCH THE COLLEGIAN

POLITICAL PONDERING

Get some respect — keep that American flag at half-staff

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

By Brendan Henry

@brendanhenryrmc Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Walking through campus, you may sometimes notice the American flag is positioned at half-staff. It seems to be that way everywhere, all the time. In the past, it was easy to identify why the flag was positioned this way — a time of mourning across America or a state — but it never seems to rise back up into its official position.

Now, call me a pessimist (I already know), but why not just keep the flag at half-staff permanently? Sure, we grieve over the deaths of politicians and important figures, but are we not also grieving over inflation, unaffordable housing, lack of workers’ rights, division among our people and daily injustices committed by and against our own people?

Let us not forget about gun violence. Shootings seem to happen every week, and whether you believe guns should stay or go, remember what country you live in. There will always be guns here because there are few politicians who want to poke that bear.

People find themselves on the streets without a home because rent prices are astronomical, and Fort Collins has a U+2 law that limits the number of occupants allowed in a single home. On top of this, good luck not spending a fortune on groceries or gas.

In my last article, I said New Belgium Brewing was a shining light in the dark tunnel of employment. Unfortunately, many businesses do not treat their workers with the same respect or offer the same benefits New Belgium does. People work hard but hardly get paid, let alone receive any decent benefits that could help them succeed. But by all means, raise that flag.

People are killing themselves over a former reality TV starturned-president, but the man lost his chance to be reelected two years ago. Anybody trying to investigate him for his potential crimes is now a target of the folks who still wear “Make America Great Again” hats and hoist the numerous flags that represent their fallacious and hateful ideologies.

What about the obvious lack of apolitical judges in the Supreme Court? Roe v. Wade was overturned by people like Clarence Thomas who actively want to cause hurt to those who do not share their values. The overturning of Roe v. Wade was an important example of how our democratic system is flawed and potentially dissolving.

Meanwhile, people are still voting for Donald Trump-like people to represent them. Representatives Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert still hold some power in Congress, and this trend is continuing to gain momentum. While many people think the comparison of Trump and those with similar styles to Adolf Hitler is a stretch, the rhetoric is similar, and Hitler was also voted in as Germany’s president.

The Roman Empire was a great power of its time too, but it fell. History echoes itself.

The public is agitated at the state of the country, from the socialist sympathizers to the right-wing militiamen doing drills in fields. Truly, this is the ultimate time for grieving. Keep that flag at half-staff. We have no good reason to raise it beyond its midpoint.

Reach Brendan Henry at letters@collegian.com.