Pubdate: Wed, 23 Apr 2008
Source: Diamondback, The (U of MD Edu)
Copyright: 2008 Diamondback
Contact:  http://www.diamondbackonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/758
Author: Stacia Cosner
Note: Stacia Cosner is the president of Students for Sensible  Drug Policy,
and is the student senator for the College  of Arts and Humanities. stu

PROVE ME WRONG, LEADERS

Is 94 percent not enough? Last week, the student body expressed its 
overwhelming support for the adoption of a Good Samaritan policy 
through the results of two referenda questions on the Student 
Government Association ballot. What does the student vote really 
mean? Is it merely "symbolic" as some administrators have suggested, 
or are we going to demand that our democratic will be implemented? In 
my three years here at the university, we have yet to see 
student-governed bodies who will truly walk the walk and choose the 
latter. Ninety-four percent of voters supported "the adoption of a 
Good Samaritan Policy which would shield students from 
university-based punishments if they called emergency services to 
receive help as a result of drug and/or alcohol use." So what happens 
now? It's the perfect opportunity for the newly elected SGA members 
to prove wrong those who suggest that our student democracy is 
superficial or lacking.

This should be conclusive evidence to the Senate Student Conduct 
committee that this is a policy that students say they need and want 
- - and Monday's Diamondback staff editorial correctly highlighted the 
urgency of the current situation in addition to its widespread 
student support. Yet the Senate Student Conduct Committee has 
canceled its last three meetings, stating that because there are no 
pending judicial appeals to handle, we have absolutely no business to 
discuss. When I was notified of the first cancellation, I expressed 
my strong preference that we continue to meet, which was met with a 
few agitated responses from non-student committee members and a 
standing decision to cancel the meetings.

Every student in the Residence Halls Association, SGA, University 
Senate and all other elected representatives need to do something 
about this to make sure that it actually happens. The efforts of 
myself and others who have been trying to enact more sensible student 
drug policies on this campus have been sincere and should be 
recognized. And I have learned the hard way that this is something 
that student representatives must fight for and be vehement in 
holding the administration accountable for. This new crop of student 
government officials had better step up to the plate to get things 
done. The passionate attitude toward civic responsibility that we all 
heard being championed by various SGA candidates has historically 
seemed to disappear a couple weeks after the election hype has died 
down. We've all heard the talk, now I challenge our student officials 
to show us the walk - today.

I might remind the new SGA legislators and executives that they were 
elected on the same ballot that expresses their policy preferences - 
specifically a reduction in marijuana sanctions and the adoption of a 
Good Samaritan policy. What makes these policy changes any less 
salient than the SGA legislators? Something needs to be done 
immediately and officially. They should be staunchly defending the 
weight that SGA ballots hold, being that whatever power they believe 
they have as legislators has been given to them by that same 
mechanism that passed these referenda.

The other referendum question about raising student fees to provide 
newspapers on the campus passed with 65 percent of the vote, and I 
have little doubt that we will see The New York Times and The 
Washington Post in additional locations next year. But will we see 
the inclusion of a Good Samaritan policy in our Code of Conduct, 
Residence Hall Rules or even mentioned as practice or protocol on the 
university website?

I won't hold my breath. As a person who believes whole heartedly in 
the democratic process and its ability to produce the most favorable 
conditions for individuals in a society, it's actually quite 
depressing to hold this cynical view about my own campus's democracy. 
This is a loud and clear challenge to our new (and old, for that 
matter) student leaders to please, please prove me wrong.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake