How involved are you?

By Andrea Deignan

The new common hour has now begun to settle in. Since students have a real opportunity to get involved on campus, a new issue has arisen: Do students have the right to complain if they make no effort to get involved?
Several different factors determine the individual studentís involvement in extra-curricular activities. Commuting seems to be one of these factors. There are many who say that commuters are at a disadvantage, and that it is much easier for residents to get involved. However, it is not as easy as commuters may think.
Senior Matt Marando lives on campus, yet, due to his work schedule he goes home most weekends, yet and he says students should still have the right to voice their concerns. ìWe are still students, we still have a right to say what we think,î argues Marando. Others disagree with him.
Junior Annalisa Crecco has two jobs that take up most of her out-of-class time. Crecco has a different view on how to get active on campus, ìI come here to learn, and I have an outside social life. That is why I donít get involved,î she says. When asked whether her degree of campus involvement should affect her right to have a say, Crecco thinks involved students should have a greater say. ìI donít complain because it is not my place to,î she concludes.
ìIt is the same as when people complain about how politicians are doing their jobs, yet they did not participate in the election by votingî says junior, Clay Wade. Working as a residence hall assistant, Wade says getting involved in school helps him lead a healthy social life in college.
It seems that both residents and commuters struggle with the question of getting involved and having a say in their school. All of the students agreed that being active on campus is not for everyone. For some, getting involved is just not possible or just not a priority, however, the questions still lingers.
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