Western Oregon Journal

Students at Western are lucky. This year we have a unique opportunity to actually make a change on our campus, in our community and in the state of Oregon. The drive to unite all student leaders on this campus, behind the goal of student issues, is growing more powerful and is gaining credibility.

Past student leaders at Western have gotten confused with the competition among various student groups. We have worked against each other in certain arenas, hurting our credibility and success.

The rivalry is passed on from student leader to student leader, until it becomes engrained into our institutional history and everyday practices.

I will be the first to admit that I was, at first, caught up in this feudalistic behavior. I was at the forefront of this fight. But as I have grown at Western and continued my leadership career, I have learned from my erroneous ways, as has this campus.

Before New Student Week, leaders from the ASWOU, Peer Mentors, PLUS Team, RAs and RHA gathered for a barbeque that has set the tone for this year. The purpose of the barbeque was to unite the student groups behind the same goals, before the school year started to better help new and returning students at Western.

But we are not out of the clear yet. Every change comes with opposition and refusals, but student leaders across campus need to keep an open mind and remain receptive to that change. If we do not adapt and learn from our mistakes, we will be doomed to repeat them again and again. That is why we all must work together toward the common goal of student issues. If we work together we will get much more accomplished, in less time, than continuing to fight amongst ourselves.

Western Oregon University may have the lowest tuition in the state, but we still pay for almost 70 percent of its operating costs. We have the largest share in this campus; students need to use that leverage and work together. We cannot allow this university to benefit by our complacency and petty rivalry. I implore student leaders across campus to get involved and work together toward the many student issues that plague our students. Without you, we are simply puppets to be played with.

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