I'm in the Senior year of my undergraduate degree in a state college in Minnesota. I used to be a part of the Student Government at the university until irreconcilable differences drove myself and several others away. The main issue being the complete lack of genuine accountability within the organization.
These issues have stressed the fact that the student body as a whole really has no idea about the decisions being made by the Student Government and the Administration. These choices deeply impact student life and fees. The lack of accountability produces worrying results about the actual integrity of the decisions affecting the students.
This problem is hardly isolated to my university, but it is a rampant problem. I would like to form a group on campus that acts as a watchdog for the administration and Student Government, as well as fosters and grows those skills for use outside of the university as well.
I'm doing as much research as I can but any suggestions or help moving forward would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to help encourage people to stand up against people doing the wrong thing. Often times it's hard and scary to do, but it is needed so desperately. My goal is to help build up people to speak out against unjust and unethical actions.
Thank you for your time.
Dear Melania
thank you for your message.
I understand that you were a part of the Student Government, in the past, and now you would want to create a different approach for analyzing and intervening on these matters, starting from building a students’/activists’ group, less institutional and more attentive to students’ needs.
I think that such issues are – perhaps – both political and academic/relational ones. Community psychology may really help you in building an interest group among students, paying attention to awareness raising, where you may talk about your problems, your difficulties, and your expectations. Before to “acting as a watchdog”, as you say, perhaps you have to try to better define your route. This reflective work is important, to make protests effective and to empower the group. It is not a useless time, because only people who are aware are responsible and able “to speak out against unjust and unethical actions”.
If you want, have a quick look to Community Toolbox, or to journals committed in the field of community psychology interventions (and in the critical community psychology approach), so to read about similar experiences in the different campus.
Let us know how your work is going on,
best wishes!