Without focus, any project might as well be doomed. Making one’s goals too broad is one of the easiest ways to guarantee failure in any endeavor. RPI’s Student Senate currently stands as a perfect example of an organization without direction or focus.
Certainly, things are happening in the Senate. The recent discussions on dissolving the Independent Council, as well as the investigation into the judicial process, are not insignificant. Regardless of whether we agree with these actions or not, they are important decisions that deserve consideration.
However, such projects are often the result of work done by a single individual or small group of individuals. When they come before the entire body, there is often little consensus among the senators.
A prime example of this is the debates over the future of the Independent Council. As time passed, it became apparent that there were both supporters and opponents of the motion. But, rather than binding together with those who shared their opinions, and thus presenting a unified front, each senator simply went out on their own and offered arguments supporting their particular position. All this served to do was create a jumble of points that was difficult to sort through. While many of them made good points, they effectively eliminated all of their options by pointing out why each of them wasn’t perfect.
Senators need to decide what’s important, and consider compromising on a few points in order to support the greater good. That’s not to say that they all have to agree on everything—the whole reason to have such a body is to get more than one point of view. Eventually though, agreements must be reached that satisfy as many of those important concerns as possible.
There are still two months between now and GM Week. If this Senate wants to be known for anything more than spinning its wheels, it needs to figure out what it stands for, and stand up.
