One important aspect of student organizations is how they work together. Despite this, we at the Review have noticed a disconnect when it comes to campus activities.

It is important for the Washburn Student Government Association to be involved with the planning, funding and execution of student activities, but a more important role for the student government is student advocacy. The Campus Activities Board should be what its name implies – a planner and executor of major events on campus.

Student government is similar to the student newspaper in many ways. It is a voice for the mass of students. It enables the administration and the community to have a liaison of students, for students. We think WSGA should be responsible for the betterment of campus, which includes things like the lecture series. However, beyond that, CAB should be responsible for events having to do with campus entertainment. CAB and WSGA should work closely together to produce successful events. Homecoming is a massive series of events that can be divided evenly between CAB and WSGA to produce a more successful string of events because there will be more people working on them, rather than just a bedraggled few.

WSGA should be taking on academics and taking a stance on issues like the transformational experience, the library and general education. Students should be going to WSGA meetings and taking note of what their student government is trying to do and how they are trying to do it. This enables WSGA to support propositions which students are behind.

CAB and WSGA can work out amongst themselves the hierarchy and which tasks go where. For example, CAB may be hosting the event, but WSGA members can volunteer to help with the event. Just because the senators help does not mean they have to be in control of the situation.

We are not trying to be negative about either WSGA or CAB. We just think this would be a good way for both organizations to be more effective. The student activity fee is going to be spread thin as enrollment has dropped, but by working together and doing their respective duties, both organizations can successfully fulfill their goals. We appreciate the Philippi/Billinger administration being more conservative with their budget, because it evokes a certain confidence in their prudence.

Let CAB plan Tunes @ Noon, some of the homecoming festivities and other events meant to entertain students on campus. WSGA needs to take on big issues. If government is supposed to prepare students to be citizens, then one could equate the government to CNN or Fox News, whereas CAB is MTV, only when it didn’t suck.

Sure, sometimes students are not going to make a difference, but we’re college students. We can make a lot of noise about the situation and let administrators know our stance. Let WSGA make that noise for us and CAB can keep us entertained.