Staff Editorial| Organized student response regarding concerns of inclusion encouraging

From the upsetting comments at Serenading to the graffiti in Davison, the Campus Life Response Team (CLRT) has reported receiving more calls so far this semester than in the whole of the previous academic year. But the Miscellany News Editorial Board is glad to see students taking a concrete first step in addressing issues that have troubled the entire campus, especially unelected ones from outside the Vassar Student Organization and its various committees. We urge these groups to engage with the administration and student body, and to adhere to their self-imposed mandates in the future. Moreover, we commend students for actively promoting causes, and hope that these conversations move forward in respectful and inclusive ways.

The Concerned Students Coalition (CSC) is one such group. Its mission is to ensure the proper representation of all groups on campus by addressing issues of inclusion and transparency in College policy. Out of its discussions, the CSC plans to generate a list of specific, targeted changes to bring before the College [See "Students form Coalition in response to current campus climate issues" on Page 1]. While the CSC's goals are themselves significant, we feel that the emphasis its members have placed on clearly communicating their objectives to the community is just as important. As the group's conversation continues, therefore, we hope it will remain dedicated to connecting with the College at large.

We commend the CSC for its commitment to approaching the administration with a viewpoint informed by careful research and analysis. Its focus on research and informed action is laudable, and stands out in stark contrast to some previous attempts by student activist groups. We hope that this focus on educated discussion fosters productive conversations. As the actions of past groups have shown, such as the Campus Solidarity Working Group in the '09-'10 academic year, reactionary measures are often more divisive than constructive, and the emergent acrimony often detracts from the groups' own messages. We commend the CSC for attempting to work with the administration, beginning what we hope will be a fruitful discussion that leads to productive change. Additionally, as a body outside of the Vassar Student Association Council, the CSC is a powerful example of unelected students taking initiative in bringing their concerns before the campus.

We also commend the CSC's plan to educate the community about its goals through holding open meetings and tabling in the College Center. We hope that it remains committed to creating these teachable moments, which not only ensure that a large part of the community is involved in their initiatives but also that students will be informed about the issues that they might have previously ignored.

Though they often start out as a small group of similarly-minded people, we urge all groups like these to actively collaborate with the community and work to acquire a sweeping understanding of the viewpoints of the general student body, as opposed to acting in isolation. We urge groups to make use of the surrounding resources; for example, fellow concerned students and members of the administration are good places to voice and listen to concerns about issues of campus life. Such commitment to diverse viewpoints can only enhance the power and scope of a group's mission. We urge all activist student groups to collect student opinions, collaborate with related student groups and conduct conversations with openness and respect.

Town hall meetings are another avenue for these types of conversations. We urge all students to take advantage of these forums, which are integral links between the administration and the student body. For town hall meetings to be productive, however, it is crucial that they continue to be spaces in which respectful dialogue and conversation can occur. This respect has sometimes been lacking in the previous meetings, resulting in polarized conflicts between students and administrators. These are hindrances to the free flow of ideas between students and administrators.

We hope that the CSC will be a catalyst for dialogue and change on campus and engage with the entire community and our diverse opinions and concerns. Likewise, we urge all students to be informed about the activist groups on campus. There is no excuse for students to passively ignore issues that matter so directly to them. Instead, we urge concerned students to be active participants, learning about groups on campus and fostering reasoned, respectful conversations among the community.

—The Staff Editorial represents the opinion of at least two thirds of the 21-member Miscellany News Editorial Board.