7 CommentsLast night, CCSC knocked on doors to see what was up with freshmen and sophomore students. Incumbent Shadow Master Sarah Ngu was with them every step of the way.
Knock knock!
The e-board was refreshingly honest in its assessment of the “malaise” of the Council:
What we’d been struggling with all semester was that even though our work had been satisfactory, we weren’t happy. We saw a malaise among the general board, with council members not engaging with the issues or participating in events. We found our usual Sunday night meetings to be unproductive and inefficient, filled with informational updates that could have been distributed some other way. We finally realized that a decision had to be made, and if we really wanted to kick-start CCSC and chart a new path, we would have to do more.
“Do more” has meant: no longer requiring mandatory attendance at meetings (trimming the fat), holding a townhall attended by around 45 students, and now, canvassing. The feedback solicited from canvassing was not mind-blowing, perhaps because as Virat Gupta, VP of Communications half-joked, “freshmen are the happiest.” Nonetheless, a few freshmen actually seemed to be rather unhappy to encounter the well-meaning but slightly-nervous Council members knocking on their doors when they were in the middle of keyboard-tapping, porn-watching, or friend-consoling. All of those things occurred during the the John Jay canvassing I shadowed.
When there were complaints, they tended to be about minor irks with Housing or Dining, although a more creative thinker did mention having CUIT-trained students stationed in dorms because CUIT staff only works from 9-5pm and printers often get jammed late at night. And some dreamer wants to convert one squash court into a rock-climbing wall.
Regardless, CCSC did work to let people know that they were a resource, going door-to-door for something other than a campaign.
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7 Comments
@props listen, whether i agree or not with their methodology, the council is trying to change. Kudos to them for trying various techniques, and being so bold as to go from door to door. Stop hating on what they are trying to do, because in the end you are just complaining about things that need to change, then also hating on the people who are trying to change them. Rather than put down half of the council who didnt show up, support the people who actually did. Just my two cents.
CC’13
@ALH Nothing is better than having Jared Odessky and Roko Rumora knock on your door and ask what they can do to help you.
@Sarah fan “Nonetheless, a few freshmen actually seemed to be rather unhappy to encounter the well-meaning but slightly-nervous Council members knocking on their doors when they were in the middle of keyboard-tapping, porn-watching, or friend-consoling.”
Hahaha Sarah this is really great. I always look forward to your pieces. Thank you!
@Well, the Junior Bureaucrat Squad should come visit us upperclassmen. I’d put a fucking bee in their bonnet.
– CC ’12
@Jesse Can CCSC start putting pressure on the administration to give the frats back their houses? There were a lot of CC students there, and the open parties were stress relievers for all of us.
I’m afraid that, even if the frats do everything 100% right, the school won’t give back the houses like they promised without pressure from the student government.
It’s a problem that while the collective punishment and the fake deliberation was going on the student councils did nothing. But they have a chance to do something now.
You want my complaint? That’s it.
-CC ’13
@Anonymous THE COUNCIL HAS 32 MEMBERS. lets not drastically blow things out of proportion BWOG
@Anonymous Woops! Yep should’ve counted. I overheard the word “40” and didn’t fact-check. I should rephrase: “Where were the other 15 Council members? (46% of Council)”