Not a Great Day to be a Bronco

Campus organizations hold open forum to hear student complaints

Erin FoxTHE SANTA CLARAFebruary 18, 2016

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]everal students came to the quarterly “When It’s Not a Great Day to Be a Bronco” event on Feb. 10 to air grievances to campus leaders from Associated Student Government, Santa Clara Community Action Program and the Multicultural Center.

Lauren Gardiner, director of the MCC, discussed the Week 6 Beyond Guilt Campaign as an opportunity for students to learn more about social justice issues. SCCAP Director Sydney Lorek and Associate Director Avery Unterreiner also mentioned the Beyond Guilt initiative and encouraged students to attend upcoming discussions on intersectionality, identity and privilege.

ASG President Aaron Poor and Vice President Madeline Owen spoke about efforts to improve communication with off-campus students and on-campus inclusion projects, such as the installation of gender neutral bathrooms.

All three organizations agreed that they would like to work closer together on updating a calendar to avoid having multiple events scheduled for the same day.

Students expressed concerns about experiencing microaggressions from fellow students, administration and faculty. Yik Yak was cited as a helpful tool in capturing some of the more ugly racial sentiments harbored by students.

“We’re kind of glad we have Yik Yak,” Gardiner said. “We know what students are experiencing, and what we should be focusing on.”

Senior Glen Bradley, the media and communications coordinator for the Rainbow Resource Center, discussed the possibility of working more closely with ASG, hoping that the LGBT advocacy group could have a bigger role in campus activities.

“We would like a heads-up on planning. Being a part of the whole process,” Bradley said. “A partnership with us would be great. More open communication and having a set structure.”

The panel suggested that the Rainbow Resource Center, which currently holds RSO status, apply for CSO status.

The issue of campus cohesion was most pressing for some students.

“Nothing brings us all together. When was the last time the whole student body was all in one place?” Hinkston said, while several audience members joked that the only time the student body gathered together was to receive meningitis vaccination.

Marc Gehrig, ASG’s Off Campus Chair, expressed concerns about off-campus students being cut from university events. He said that students are mainly moving off-campus due to the lower-cost living alternatives and more freedom.

“A lot of people go off-campus to escape the judicial system,” he said. “It’s cheaper, they want to have freedom from the judicial system that’s not really correct.”

Contact Erin Fox at efox@scu.edu.