It's ironic that Kanye West's albums parody college life and getting degrees, because that's about what SA has been doing for years.
UB's undergraduate representation basically act as promoters these days. That would be ideal if UB were a club, not an institution of higher learning. SA has almost always included improved academics and student-administration communication, but between the high profile Fest events and the de-emphasis on programs like "rate my professor" and book exchanges, it's become obvious where the bulk of SA attentions lie.
As the Student Assembly and Senate begin meeting for the year, now is the time for them to spell out a strong agenda that focuses on academics and students, not entertainment, as they have in the past. It seems as though members of SA feel their only obligations to students are the Fall Fest and Spring Fest lineups they bring forth each year. But there is more to their job than bold concerts and the quality of life issues they focus on. More workshops, conventions, events and clubs pertaining to students' academic advancement and development should be organized on their behalf. How many SA sponsored entertainment events do students need or expect from the SA? Many would welcome more academically orientated programming on the school calendar and it's up to the SA to make that a reality.
Fall Fest and Spring Fest withstanding, the successes of the SA have been minimal in recent years. For instance the "rate my professor" program, which looked great when proposed, has been under-promoted, resulting in dismal use. In fairness, it should be mentioned the turnover that occurs each year after student elections are held plays a role in this. The current SA president, Dela Yador, came to office inheriting problems from his predecessor, which limited his ability in instituting new ideas. However, Yador was vice-president of SA last year. He and his administration should have been better prepared for the problems awaiting them, and hopefully some of his good ideas will still come to fruition.
Dennis Black, UB's vice president of student affairs, has said SA's focus on academics is largely related to who holds office. And as far as he can tell, those in office today have done nothing involving governance and academics for students. This is unfortunate and speaks volumes as to where the priorities of SA's elected leadership lies. Yador said that as far as advocacy for the student population goes, SA is now trying to keep their heads above sea level.
There are divisions within the SA that are certainly doing their job right and making their voices heard. Student Affairs comes to mind in advocating for extended library hours, codified teacher aid policies and more busing at night. But SA's prime focus has been, and continues to be, entertainment. Concerts, spring-break furloughs and themed activates have a role in campus life but not at the expense of academics.
If SA's agenda were looked upon as a snapshot of student life, the picture would be of students hard at play, not hard at work. And as the majority of students attending UB will tell you, that's simply not the case.
