What appeared to be an innocuous CCSC missive from Student Body President Aki Terasaki turned out to contain a bombshell.”It is with mixed emotions,” he writes, “that I formally announce my resignation as CCSC President, effective immediately.” While the message did not contain an explicit reason for the surprise move, he mentions the “difficult experience,” of “reading what other people write about you.” Full text below:

Subject: [ALMA MATTERS ♔] KL 3.6.2015

Attention, my dear Columbia College.

“President” is never an easy title to live up to.

Reading what other people write about you (and sometimes to you) can be an incredibly difficult experience, and there have been points where I have almost become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of words. Initially, a letter is just a letter, but after several hundred, I have finally come to realize what really matters. Leadership is about recognizing the best step for the greater good, and so it is with mixed emotions that I formally announce my resignation as CCSC President, effective immediately.

First off, I would like to thank my incredible fellow council members, who have accomplished so much this year (see the attached document) and have supported me from the very start. Of course, I want to thank all of you for being a fantastic—albeit captive—audience; my foremost memories are of my interactions with the wonderful students that make up Columbia. On the job and off the job, you have all shown me the importance of standing up for yourself and finding new beginnings.

Little word of advice: most of the time, life is a blur, but on occasion a piece stands out in front of the others—chase that one and follow it to the end.

Signing off,

Aki Terasaki
Student Body President
Columbia College ♔

Update: Aki just sent an email to Bwog admitting it was just an April Fools prank. And as one commenter suspected, the subject line was an inside joke. Explanatory e-mail after the jump.

Subject: Happy April First!

Hi everyone,

So, as I hope you’ve all gathered by now, the email I sent last night was in fact an April Fool’s joke–albeit one that I realize may not have been in the best of tastes. I do strongly believe that this campus could use a bit more humor, and I only meant to bring some levity to the day. However, I also see how my stumbling attempts to lighten the mood may have resulted in more concern than I anticipated, and for that, I apologize.

I want to take this opportunity, though, to bring to the forefront the destructive effects of people’s anonymous comments. While I may not be resigning due to what’s been said about me, there have been countless individuals who have been victimized by online harassment to a much worse extent and usually with worse outcomes. Trolls will be trolls, but before you post that snarky comment, take a second to reflect on how you would want people to treat you in that situation. We should be creating a group that seeks to support itself and its members, taking accountability for our own actions as friends and fellow students. Hopeless romantic that I am, I believe that Columbia can become that community one day, and I am proud that there are students already working toward this goal. On that note, it’s Random Acts of Kindness Week, so go out of your way for someone. I promise it’ll make a world of difference.

To the people who reached out to me, please accept my sincerest apologies and thank you for being students who care. To the general population, remember that no one likes a troll, but always keep your sense of humor. And to the haters, well, better luck next time.

From the fool himself,
Aki

PS: For any student of Lit Hum…King Lear, Act III, Scene 6, Line 2015.