With budget cuts bearing down on the University, students seem more concerned with getting free stuff than getting their voices heard.
Only a few students came forward with problems and questions at the Student Government’s Straight Talk with SG event Tuesday night at the UREC Student Recreation Complex, but many more were willing to take free blue books, pencils, Scantrons and pens.
SG Sen. Kaitlyn Derenbecker, College of Art and Design, said the location and timing of the event may have limited student involvement.
“I think maybe because it’s dinner time and people usually come to [the UREC SRC] around mid-afternoon,” Derenbecker said. “People are [at the complex] to get in and get out and go home.”
Khristen Jones, SG assistant programming director, said the location of the Straight Talk events is chosen so SG can try to reach all the students at the University, but that can backfire in terms of interest.
“We put it in different places on campus and different times to give different groups of people the opportunity to have their issues concerned,” Jones said. “But you can’t make people care.”
Kacey Brister, assistant director of First Year Experience, said several people reacted negatively to being offered free school supplies.
“A couple people told me they’re ‘here to work out, not take a test,'” Brister said.
Ian Redlich, kinesiology senior, raised issues with the fact that he may not be able to graduate on time because he can’t take the classes he needs to because of budget cuts.
Jones told Redlich he should come by the SG office to write a letter to his legislator.
“I’ll be in there tomorrow,” Redlich said.
Rebecca Crais, communication studies junior, asked SG to publicize the budget crisis better and proposed that SG have direct meetings with Greek institutions.
“If [sororities and fraternities] know, then a lot of other people will know because they have friends who are in fraternities and sororities,” she said.
Rebecca Huckeby, general studies senior, voiced her problems with the amount of parking available around the UREC SRC.
“The new parking garage will begin construction over winter break,” Jones said. “Hopefully that will alleviate some of the parking concerns around here because those students that live in the dorms near there won’t have to park [by the UREC].”
The next Straight Talk with SG will be Nov. 23 in the Live Oak Lounge from noon to 2 p.m.
 
—————
Contact Frederick Holl at [email protected]