Why this is important

In many ways, institutions such as a university are built upon a hierarchical system. We have our Deans and Provosts, followed by Assistant Deans, faculty, graduate students and so on down the line. The hierarchy is distributed for managerial purposes, which gives certain groups the ability to make decisions effecting the other groups. In essence, we find ourselves in what can only be likened to a food chain.

Yet the existence of an Undergraduate Student Government allows for us to not be completely subject to these other institutional bodies. It allows us a certain amount of freedom, the opportunity to make decisions for ourselves, to step forward and take on the responsibility of self-governance. We must explicitly recognize the full weight of the term "self" as used here, for it means quite literally "student's helping students."

The fact is that we find ourselves in a position which we cannot deny. We cannot brush aside this opportunity by ignoring the things we know must be addressed at some point, by someone. The facts are that WE are in such a position, WE have the opportunity to enact change, and therefore WE have the responsibility to look out for one another's interests as students. We must always think of these rights as also our duties.

-Sean Murray