Editor, the Gauntlet.
In the midst of the usual swirling controversy and mid-semester bitching about the Students’ Union, I’d like to add one friendly reminder: elected officials are full-time students too.
They are freaking out about papers, midterms, assignments and how the hell they are going to pull that all nighter. They have roomates to worry about, bills to pay, part-time jobs to go to and clubs to meet with.
Devoted part-time officials put over 25 hours a week into SU work. Many do work hard and are dedicated to their positions–how else would they manage to sit through a meeting on a Tuesday night until 2:45 a.m., when you have school work to worry about?
It’s fine to complain–it helps the SU improve, nobody is perfect. Their mistakes just happen to get publicized. We all know it is far more interesting to read about controversy and scandal. Remember, they can accomplish many things that are beneficial to students, things which are not often acknowledged.
A little positive acknowledgement would be nice for a stressed-out undergrad putting in time to make life a little better for all students.
So, next time you hear about the latest grievances against the SU, do them a favour and take a moment to remind yourself: an elected official is just another student trying to get through university.