Voicing student opinions benefits the entire college

Getting college students to provide their opinions can be a very challenging task. It’s not so bad if you are among a group of friends, casually discussing your readings or commenting on an episode of your favorite TV show. However, as soon as campus institutions and groups start requesting input on centralized dining or fossil fuel divestment, many students choose to remain silent.

Although this problem is not specific to Mount Holyoke, it is troubling to realize that approximately half of over 2,300 students are not making their voices heard. This skewed representation of the student population results in policies that may not benefit everyone equally, while also creating confusion about what students want and need.

There are many ways for students to be a part of the college’s decision-making process. These include running for an SGA position, joining a committee, attending Senate, writing for the Mount Holyoke News, holding a referendum and setting up events or activities through student organizations. The college administration also makes a strong effort to solicit the opinions of students by conducting numerous surveys and maintaining regular e-mail communication.

Despite the many methods of staying involved, obtaining any type of feedback from students requires a constant stream of reminder messages, which can get very repetitive for those who have already submitted their opinions. The SCC survey, for example, which took place between December and February, posted announcements in print and online throughout the voting process in a strategic attempt to gather as much information as possible before the Board of Trustees meeting.

Regardless of how you felt about the survey, it was a valuable opportunity to contribute to the available research on campus life. Comparing the results of surveys from previous years and examining what types of questions were asked this year helps both students and administrators learn about the issues that affect us all. For example, the 2012-2013 survey placed a lot of emphasis on the experiences of Frances Perkins students, while the 2010-2011 survey included more questions about student disabilities and the Five College Consortium.

By analyzing the range of responses to various academic, residential and financial concerns, the college can decide how to improve its policies in the future. If we, as students, are truly committed to supporting this goal and working towards positive change in our community, we should do our part to voice our opinions. It may seem like a lot of hard work right now, but the more we get used to sharing our views, the better we will become at expressing ourselves effectively and confidently by the time we graduate.

Even if it seems scary or unfamiliar, I encourage all students to try speaking their mind in front of their peers at least once, whether by making a statement in Senate, voting in a referendum, or writing an article for the Opinions section of the Mount Holyoke News. Who knows—you might actually enjoy it.