Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown Needs Leadership, GUSA

By Tim Llewellyn

This university needs leadership. It is festering with an epidemic of hate. Religious and racial groups have been actively alienated on campus. And now a drunken scuffle has tragically cost a student his life. Students look around desperately for someone to believe in, someone to lead them away from the shadows of hate that have darkened our Hilltop.

A natural place for us to look is to our student association. It is, after all, meant to represent and embody the ideals of the students. Perhaps GUSA can rally the student body so that together, as a community, we can learn our lesson from the hate we have seen, reject that hate, and move on.

But we find no help from GUSA. Where are they in this period of campus unrest at Georgetown? Are they taking all the positive, cathartic steps to get this torn student body back together? No, right now it seems GUSA is too busy to be concerned with the problems of the student body. They are too busy infighting, back-stabbing and threatening resignations to address these concerns.

When the campus is shrouded in one of its darkest moments in recent history, what does the GUSA senior leadership do to help? Nothing. Because of disagreements with GUSA bylaws and election rules, much of the senior leadership has threatened to resign in protest. They have meeting after meeting to discuss the legitimacy of their last meeting, presidential candidates are expelled, then reinstated, then threatened with expulsion again. GUSA is so out of touch with the many grievous problems facing the student body that it can’t see beyond its own petty, self-perpetuated problems and take a look at the problems of the people it alleges to represent.

GUSA, it’s time to stop the infighting. You must recognize that it is your job and your elected duty to help heal this university. Unfortunately, you are too concerned with broken rules and bruised egos. The degree to which GUSA is failing to see what is really important at Georgetown is reprehensible.

This university needs leadership, and we want GUSA to be that leadership. People complain that no one takes GUSA seriously. I think it is time that GUSA gave us a reason to take them seriously. It is time for GUSA to put down their books on parliamentary procedure, come out of their committee meetings and take a look at the university as it falls apart around them. GUSA, please prove all the dissenting voices and doubtful students wrong by stepping up and leading this university to better days.

Tim Llewellyn is a sophomore in the College and is photo editor and a member of the editorial board of The Hoya.

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