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Letter from the Editors "If you don't own the master, then the master
owns you." -Public Enemy Ithaca College has a lot of problems. We all know that. And these problems aren't with parking spaces, off-campus housing, or binge drinking. It's not a problem with the students or the school's physical plant. It's not to say that we don't have problems in these areas, but that's not what we're talking about here. Ithaca College has a problem with information. Now, what could I mean by that? Is there too much information? Is this another screed decrying the saturation of media under which we all live these days? No. Ithaca College's information problem is an institutional one; it does not want to share information with the very people that compose it: the students. This jealous hoarding of information is something that has been a hallmark of the Ithaca College administration since James Whalen slouched around the corridors of Job Hall. And it hasn't gotten much better since. This week, I was reminded just how unable administrative types are at effectively communicating information to the student body. Entering the Student Activities Center on Oct. 20 to photocopy flyers for Buzzsaw, I was informed that there had been a change in copying policy. You see, one of the benefits of being a recognized student organization at Ithaca College is the right to 20 free copies per day to advertise yourself. However, I was informed that this was no longer the case. Now, any organization that wished to make copies had to have an account with SGA. Carolyn Fitzsimmons, SGA's VP of Finance, told me that this change was made because people were abusing the copy card, and SGA was losing money. Fine. I have no problem with a tightening up of the rules to prevent abuse. What I do have a problem with is the secrecy in which this was done. There was no memo sent out, SGA did not solicit input from those who would be most effected by this change: the student groups. They just did it and expected that we'd agree. This policy of secret decision making was the same one that has led to the changes in Fountain Day. Regardless of whether the school made the right or wrong decision about Fountain Day, it made a wholly incorrect choice to change the policy without consulting the students. Were it not for the students, after all, none of these people would have their current jobs, and there would be no Ithaca College. We bear at least some notice when major policies are going to be changed. There was a time when the College could not get away with this conduct unchallenged. There was a time when The Ithacan was a respected, courageous newspaper, one that could be trusted to advocate for student interests,and could be counted on to vociferously oppose administrative malfeasance. The Ithacan has had to consult lawyers because it felt threatened by the school in the past, but it seems safe to assume that they won't need any lawyers to help them anytime soon. Utah Phillips, on his latest collaboration with Ani DiFranco, "Fellow Workers," says that "the essence of contract is agreement, not coercion or obedience." He's talking about unions, but the same goes for college students. We have entered into a contract with Ithaca College. We uphold our end and it' s time that the administration did the same. We can't count on anyone to do it for us, we have to do it for ourselves. Buzzsaw Haircut will do all it can, but we can't do everything. You have to take your own action. You have to demand the information you need from the administration. Only when they realize that they cannot act with impunity, and in secrecy, will students ever start having any control over their educational lives. --Sam Costello |
