"Defining goals; creating issues"
MLA Citation
Thatch, Greg. “"Defining goals; creating issues".” Digital Gallery. BGSU University Libraries, 18 June 2020, digitalgallery.bgsu.edu/items/show/17454. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
Tags
Title | "Defining goals; creating issues" |
---|---|
Subject | Bowling Green State University -- Students -- Political activity |
College student government | |
Description | A column in the BG News by BGSU Student Body President Greg Thatch appraising student protests and requesting that constructive change continue. |
Creator | Thatch, Greg |
Source | BG News; Center for Archival Collections; University Libraries; Bowling Green State University |
Publisher | Bowling Green State University |
Date | 1970-05-07 |
Rights | |
Format | Ephemera |
application/pdf | |
Language | eng |
Identifier | bgnews_19700507_p2_defininggoals.pdf |
https://digitalgallery.bgsu.edu/items/show/17454 | |
Spatial Coverage | Bowling Green (Ohio) |
Type | Text |
defining goals; creating issues By Greg Hatch Student Body President It is now that time of year when the outgoing Student Body President submits to the University Community what might be called a report on the state of the University. This message usually covers the whole spectrum of the achievements of the past year, but in these days the past becomes unimportant and the focus must be shifted in this report to the events of the present and the future. There are two points which, then, are of the utmost importance and to which we must address ourselves today. We, the Student Body of Bowling Green, have finally awakened to the issues which face us. and have, for the first time, chosen to respond positively. Until now, time has passed us by; issues have been ignored in favor of a "standstill" policy. Recent events. particularly those of the past week, have gone a long way toward changing all of this. Bowling Green's only alternative to action was to begin a march backwards--the decision made was to begin to move again! Awareness of all members of the University Community has never, in my rememberance, been higher. All people seem eager to learn, and along with this, has come a tremendous willingness to work and change Bowling Green wants to change and through concerned action and consecrated effort, the changes will come. We must remember, however, that all of this effort will unavoidably be in vain if we stray from the principles of non-violence. We have the means to achieve our goals in a peaceful manner, and we cannot afford to risk vital changes through irresponsible action. So far we have come a long way. All members of the community have done a fantastic job so far. We must be proud of the success of efforts made to this point in all areas. One point which should be our basic guideline for action is that issues of real significance--these concerning relevant issues and realistic causes--are the only ones to which we can afford to address our best efforts. To stray from this thought, will render our position impossible. Bowling Green has a chance to move; to make constructive changes and survive without trouble or violence, to achieve those progressive ends for which we now seem willing to strive. Today's elections mark the opportunity far students to begin the drive for progress. I encourage all students to vote today for the abolishment of Student Government in its present form with all effort and emphasis given to the establishment of a Community Council. This is no time for egos. This is no time for labels of "Administration," “Faculty," or "Students" to get in the way of our mutual cause. It has been just such egos and labels that have made meaningful accomplishments so difficult in the past. Petty personal conflicts, red-tape, and a continuous struggle for power must now be set aside in the drive of all people for a better university, and for a better world. The answer to our past plight is the formation of a Community Council which will provide an equal voice for all concerned parties and reasonable chance to resolve the problems which face us all. We will soon be operating under a new University president. We are facing an increased number of perplexing issues, such as those of the past week. We will be involved in the drafting of a new state Master Plan. Only with the type of total commitment (student, faculty, and administration) which a Community Council provides, can we expect these "gut" decisions of the future to be met with any sort of efficiency. Student will maintain a type of government in the form of Student Body Boards to handle specific types of programs and a Student Affairs Council to coordinate and advise in the area of student activities. This program represents one of the fifteen demands of the student body. All students have the opportunity to get involved in this effort. There is an almost unbelievable amount of work to be done and a spot for every skill and interest. A committee has been established through P.A.C. to address itself to this issue. With a viable means of achieving our goals we must now begin to more clearly define these goals and to create new issues. |