Staff Editorial: Grab your tools, it’s time to rebuild the relationship
The relationship between the Student Government Association of Wichita State and university administration is not healthy or professional.
Tuesday, 19.7 percent of Wichita State’s student body voted in the election with 58.3 percent deciding on Paige Hungate to lead the 60th Session of SGA. All but six elected senators belong to Hungate’s campaign, United We Stand.
Hungate has promised to put facts before speculation and eliminate the antagonistic relationship with WSU President John Bardo and his team of executives.
“That just sets a bad precedent, thinking the administration is always doing something wrong,” Hungate said.
If we as students demand university administration hear our voices, let’s hold our elected student leadership to the same standards we would hold university administration. Change starts with communication and action.
“If we can’t all talk with each other and know we’re all human beings at the end of the day, that’s where things end and that’s why there’s so much tension,” Hungate said.
But that’s a simplified solution to the troubles between SGA and the administration this year. The problems have been building for years and it will take more than potluck dinner for administrators to regain the trust of students.
Breck Towner, student body vice president-elect, enters as an outsider to the tattered relationship between the two organizations. He said, “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?”
It’s important to note that Towner works in President Bardo’s office, so it can be assumed he’ll be able to get along with the executive team.
Student Body President Joseph Shepard said he believes university administration doesn’t have to give Hungate and Towner a chance, stating that the two will work together well because the two parties rarely share disagreement — which is true.
A changed face does not fix the problems brought up by students outside of student government, which have lasted more than the two years of Shepard’s sessions. Shepard said he will work with Hungate in a transition period as he exits in the ongoing weeks.
Hopefully she will listen to him, she will learn from him, and she will listen to students who don’t share her political views — but beyond listening, The Sunflower hopes she hears.
Hungate said she wants to take the politics out of SGA. She seems to have a blindspot for what constitutes politics. Several students have found her actions in student senate this year partisan and politically motivated.
A healthy, “work with the administration” attitude doesn’t seem like a bad idea, but it seems like the administration has a proven record of ignoring students if they disagrees with its agenda. If steps can be taken in a student-first, positive direction by United We Stand, then that’s fantastic. But if a good relationship with the administration comes at the cost of ignoring hurting students, the relationship between students and the administration will be even more unhealthy than ever.
Fake Pres. Bardo • Aug 23, 2017 at 10:24 pm
The only thing I care about from SGA is sending more student money my way! I absolutely love increasing prices for students because they can pay whatever I demand though student loans. There is no stopping me!
As always,
Fake Pres. Bardo
No Tools Needed • Apr 10, 2017 at 10:48 am
Easy now. No tools needed. Paige is a family friend of the Schlapps and Bardo. Breck works for President Bardo. Teri Hall uses a temporary conduct suspension for anyone with a different opinion. David Moses uses outside attorneys to investigate potential conduct violations and then doesn’t update those being investigated when nothing is found. Mandy Hambleton is directed to initiate conduct investigations on members of We the Students to see what they might possibly have violated. Faculty advisor input is not sought prior to Taben being suspended from the election process. Faculty don’t care. Staff who care are fired/resign. The white, conservative, Christian ideals have finally been elected again after those two terrible years. Looks like the construction is done.