Editor:

Jon Vanasco’s Opinions article in last week’s TSL ("Committee, Administration lagued With Inefficiency") raised some legitimate issues about how we got into this mess with the Smith Campus Center. However, he went beyond discussion of the SCC Task Force to suggest that student committees in general, and the ASPC Senate in particular, are composed mainly of tools of the administration, "political insiders" who lack the ability to effectively represent the "reformists" of the student body, not to mention the average student.

Vanasco makes some important points in his article, but they are mired in an abundance of sweeping generalizations, a use of misinformation to back up several of his contentions, and criticism of his peers who are in reality coming from the same place that he is. The reason why a "small clique of Pomona students somehow end up on every committee this campus has to offer" is because those are the only students who want to be on these committees. Everybody says it, and it is a sad fact that our student body is, for the most part, incredibly apathetic. The ASPC Senate certainly does work closely with the administration, but it is important to remember that it is a microcosm of the student body; and its relationship with and responsibility to its constituency unquestionably outweigh any "personal relationships" with the administration that Vanasco assumes that senators are so concerned about jeopardizing. The shortcomings of the SCC were an issue for senate that rose independently of and as early as the "reformist students" first expressions of dissatisfaction. Furthermore, his labeling of all members of senate as known "political insiders" is a misnomer. All but three members of the senate are first-time senators, and what constitutes a political insider, anyway? A student who chooses to involve him or herself in student government? This is a leap in logic and an empty practice of name-calling and labeling, not to mention a generalization.

Vanasco’s contention that "the senate has become little more than an elaborate joke, students feigning power...effectively functioning in no capacity other than middle management," and his wielding of the term "junior administrator" to describe each individual member of senate is misguided and entirely unfair. It may be his opinion, but it hardly holds up as fact. Why Vanasco is so quick to write off his fellow students is unclear. Anyone who has attended a senate meeting in the past month (which are, incidentally, open to the campus) could vouch for the fact that the members of senate have been absolutely up in arms about the SCC and have been at least as much of an impetus to action on the part of the administration as these so-called reformists. Senators were not "appointed" to the task force; those of us on that committee are there because we wanted to be, because it is an issue about which we feel passionately. The fact that we agreed not to raise this issue at the widely misconstrued trustee meeting is mostly rooted in the fact that it is the

administration, and not the trustees, who have the power to effect change. Members of the senate may not qualify as the "outsiders, wild cards and other subversives" that Vanasco seems to believe are so plentiful on this campus (if they are, they’re awfully quiet, with the exception of Vanasco who apparently sees himself as some sort of figurehead), but we’re doing our part to try to effect change from within the structures that exist, and what the hell is wrong with that? Are our efforts not legitimate because our methods are not revolutionary? It’s unfortunate that the senate has been cast as an enemy of the student body as opposed to its voice, because we’re doing our damnedest to effect positive changes the best ways we know how.

The ASPC Senate wants to know how to best represent the student body, but we’re not mind-readers. It is our hope that the manifestos of a few students are not reflective of the opinions of all students, but if that is the case by all means let us know (e-mail senate@pomona.edu) or e-mail me personally (sbrenner@pomona.edu). Bitching and throwing around weakly supported accusations can accomplish nothing; communication can actually affect change.

Sincerely,

Samantha Brenner ‘02,

Commissioner of Residence Halls and Food