A few weeks into this semester, the former Latino culture representative to the Senate for the Association of Latino American Students (ALAS) resigned from the position. This resignation concluded a trio of representatives leaving their posts. Along with ALAS, the Pan-African Alliance (PAA) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) communities, each saw their respective representatives frustrated with their positions on the TCU Senate. Without a vote during senate meetings, these three culture representatives rightfully felt powerless in a sea of voting senators.
When dealing with Senate issues, a vote equals power. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that over the last few years the number of culture representative resignations is higher than the number of representatives serving a complete term - the most common reason being a lack of power. This sense of inferiority stems from the fact that minority communities have always been and probably will always be underrepresented on the Senate. This lack of representation reduces the attention the Senate devotes to minority issues on campus and diminishes the voice of those chosen to speak for their communities. As a result of these resignations, the Senate and the student body as a whole suffer due to the loss of quality individuals. After the resignation of the LGBT representative, members of the Senate openly admitted that they had lost one of the hardest workers they had this year. Yet due to lack of power, the former LGBT representative was not even able to vote on proposals brought forth by the LGBT community.
The Senate's lack of focus on cultural issues also leads to the administration overlooking these issues. This year, for example, both the Latino and Asian communities were fighting for similar causes - the hiring of faculty representing their respective cultures. After several meetings with the administration, the Latino community was able was able to exert influence in the hiring of Mark Hernandez in the Romance Language Department and Deborah Pacini-Hernandez in the Anthropology Department. The hiring of these two professors benefits the Tufts community as a whole by providing students interested in Spanish culture classes with someone who can speak from experience, and by increasing diversity in the anthropology department. The administration, however, attempted to pit the Asian community against the Latino community. Since each was fighting for similar issues, the administration claimed that since a Latino professor was recently hired, the same couldn't be done for the Asian community.
The absence of a vote only further decreases the power of the all-important culture representative position. In each community, students express their concerns and, since the culture representatives have a seat on the Senate, it is expected of them to be the forerunners of these concerns. While providing the culture representatives with a vote would bring about a change in the Senate, it would be a positive one. With a vote, culture representatives will be considered full members of the Senate instead of being surveyors during meetings. As a result, culture representatives will not only be able to work on issues for their respective communities, but they will be able to work on projects affecting the entire student body. This would result in cultural issues being seen as significant while making the Senate more efficient and productive.
I can recall at the beginning of the semester, when I was elected as the culture representative for ALAS. Although I did not know the reason why my previous counterpart resigned, I felt a sense of pride knowing that I would be vouching for the issues brought forth by the members of the Latino community. Before my first meeting, several members of the Senate, whom I had known previously, were very welcoming and helped me adjust to Senate life. Other members, however, made it clear to me that without a vote, my position was not indispensable. When I would speak on certain issues such as the lack of Latino representation in the Romance Language department, it upset me to see various uninterested faces, because issues like this affect the student body as a whole.
In a way, though, I understand the position of the senators. Without a vote, culture representatives are bench players while voting senators are in the game. Sure, culture representatives can voice their concerns and some senators may listen. But with a vote, not only will representatives be heard, but action will also be taken. On April 25, you, the members of the student body, have a chance to help make this difference by voting "yes" on the amendment giving the culture representatives the opportunity to vote.
Alexander Ramirez is a sophomore majoring in biology. He is the culture representative for the Association of Latino American Students
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