Elitism at Radcliffe

One of the best results of the new Radcliffe house system could be the reorganization of the Student Government Association. For the past several years, the SGA has suffered from a fuzziness of purpose inevitable at a college where most students feel that few battles remain to be fought. Although SGA meetings could be effective forums for student opinion, they have dwindled into trivial gripe sessions. This year at last there are signs of a change; for this very reason the Student Government Association must be careful to explore all structural possibilities and sound out student views rather than settling for an unimaginative re-working of the existing organization.

Confronted with the bland silence of their constituents, the SGA representatives are all too likely to assume that the only way to get anything done is to do it themselves. The recently created committee to re-write the constitution includes only people who have already shown on active interest in student government; it was arbitrarily selected by the SGA Executive Board. The group made no effort to obtain outside assistance, apparently assuming that the rest of the student body would, as usual, take no interest in the proceedings.

This action sets an alarming precedent. If the SGA realy wants to stimulate intelligent discussion at and about Radcliffe, it must disseminate information and encourage opposition. As long as students feel that their opinions will make no difference, they will not bother to formulate any. Clearly, a small committee can accomplish more than an unwieldy group, but it should involve at least one or two students from the large segment of the Radcliffe population that has been obstinately cynical about the need for and function of student government. Only by consulting these students can the SGA representatives hope to come up with a revised organization that will attract greater interest and participation than the present one.

Especially now, during what President Bunting has called a "year of evaluation" for the new house system, the Radcliffe SGA has the obligation to open up discussion on all fronts. For the first time in many years a real challenge faces the student leaders. If they want to establish a respected and effective student government, they will have to prod the apathetic into thought and action.